INTEGRAL YOGA – A COMPLETE GUIDE TO HOLISTIC WELLBEING

INTEGRAL YOGA 

Introduction: Yoga is the unification of prana and mind with the self through rigorous discipline and concentration for attaining the direct perception of the Atman and gaining liberation that was appropriated by different traditions according to their metaphysical understanding of the self. Various yoga gurus have time and again emphasized the need for yoga in everyone’s life, right from Lord Shiva to modern yoga teachers.

The supramental yoga, or integral yoga, was first developed by Rishi Aurobindo, an Indian philosopher and yogi, in the early 20^th century. He developed integral yoga by integrating the spiritual awakening with the practical aspects of life. This was further developed by The Mother (Mirra Alfassa). The Mother refined and implemented his teachings at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry, India. Together, they shaped Integral Yoga as a comprehensive system that integrates multiple paths of yoga, aiming for the complete evolution of body, mind, and spirit.

Now, Integral Yoga has gained wide popularity throughout the world. According to a recent statistic, about 10% of yoga practitioners throughout the world are practicing integral yoga, and that too 7% in Western countries.

This yoga is not a physical posture; it integrates wisdom, devotion, selfless action, meditation, and physical health. Unlike conventional yoga systems that emphasize a single approach, Integral Yoga harmoniously combines Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Karma Yoga (selfless action), Raja Yoga (meditation), and Hatha Yoga (physical practice) into a cohesive path. The aim is not merely personal liberation but also the evolution of consciousness, paving the way for a more harmonious and enlightened life.

01. How Integral Yoga helps in everyday life:

This affects every walk of life—physical, mental, and spiritual—of every individual by extending self-transformation and holistic growth.

Physical well-being: Integral Yoga helps flexibility, strength, and overall health through yoga practices like asanas, pranayama, and changes in lifestyle. It helps in reducing stress-related issues and promotes vitality.

Mental clarity and emotional well-being: It helps to calm the mind, improve clarity, and cultivate emotional resilience by including Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. The practitioners experience inner peace and lessen anxiety.

Spiritual growth: Integral Yoga helps to achieve higher consciousness by combining everyday actions (Karma Yoga) with spiritual principles. It also helps to achieve self-realization, which ultimately transforms life into the path of continuous evolution.

02. The Problems in Integral Yoga (A fragmented approach): Most of the people practicing this yoga focus only on one aspect of yoga, e.g., the physical aspect (asanas) or meditation, leaving the deeper elements of spiritual and philosophical aspects. The asanas (yoga postures) only extend flexibility and strength, and meditation extends mental clarity. But yoga is much more than these aspects. Traditional yoga extends selfless action (Karma Yoga), Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga. All these jointly work together for complete self-transformation. Without combining these elements, the practitioners may lose the true purpose of yoga for achieving self-realization/higher consciousness.

03. How to avoid the fragmented approach in Integral Yoga: The instructors should clarify to avoid the fragmented approach to the beginners and the need for balancing all the aspects of yoga rather than limiting themselves to just one or two, i.e., physical postures (asanas) or meditation.

• The beginners should adopt the multiple paths combining Hatha Yoga with meditation, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana Yoga for their overall growth.
• The beginners should also incorporate yoga into their daily lives. It should be remembered that Yoga is not just a practice on the Yoga Mat, the principle of integral yoga should also be brought into their daily work.
• The practitioners should also engage themselves to structure the daily routine to include physical, mental, and spiritual practice for their overall development.
• The followers of Integral Yoga should adhere to the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the mother by reading their works to understand the deeper purpose of Integral Yoga and how to integrate this into their daily lives.
• The practitioners should assess themselves on whether their practice is a balanced one. If it is noticed that he is focusing particularly on one or two aspects, then he/she should integrate the other aspects for overall development.

By following Integral Yoga as a complete system, the practitioners can experience the transformation that leads to a more fulfilling and enlightened life.

04. The Principles of Integral Yoga: Basically,it follows four key principles that guide the spiritual growth and self-transformation:

• The transformation of consciousness: For achieving a higher divine consciousness that unifies the mental, spiritual, and physical aspects of existence beyond the ego-driven awareness.
• All life is yoga: The practitioners should keep in mind that yoga is not limited to the mat. Every action of the individual, thought, and experience can be transformed into a spiritual practice. Daily work, relationships with others, and challenges we face every day are opportunities for self-growth.
• Triple transformation: This encompasses three types of transformation: supramental (a whole transition to divine existence), spiritual (waking to higher consciousness), and psychic (aligning with the truth of the soul).
• Self-Perfection: Traditional yoga focuses on liberation, whereas Integral Yoga aims at the evolution of the human potential, achieving perfection in the body, mind, and spirit.

By following the above principles, practitioners can achieve inner harmony, clarity, and a deeper connection with the divine.

05. Benefits of Integral Yoga: It extends multidimensional benefits, starting from physical benefits to spiritual development in the life of the practitioners.

1. Physical well-being: Regular practice of asana improves flexibility, strength, and overall health improvement. Pranayama enhances the energy level and reduces the stress level.
2. Mental Clarity and Emotional Balance: Meditation helps in calming the mind, improving focus, and helping to manage the anxiety level.
3. Spiritual growth: By practicing all the aspects of yoga, the practitioners can experience a unique state of consciousness, deeper self-realization, and awareness.
4. Inner peace and purpose: By practicing Integral Yoga, individuals can experience a sense of harmony, reduce conflicts with others, and foster a meaningful purpose in life.

Through a balanced and comprehensive approach, Integral Yoga helps individuals achieve true well-being and spiritual evolution.

06. Conclusion: The Integral Yoga combines the body, mind, and soul for overall self-transformation. It also integrates physical postures, meditation, selfless service, dedication, and knowledge to make a full and happy life, as compared to conventional yoga, which usually concentrates on a single path. It emphasizes the expansion of awareness and views all the aspects of life as spiritual practices, following the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Practitioners who follow its tenets experience physical well-being, mental clarity, emotional tranquility, and a closer relationship with God. Integral yoga is much more than personal growth; it also helps to elevate mankind by changing people into self-aware, conscious creatures who make a beneficial impact on the planet.

FAQ:

Question 1: What are the key practices in Integral Yoga?

Ans: The key practices for Integral Yoga are

Jnana Yoga (The path of knowledge): Study of scriptures and teachings to develop wisdom, and introspection to realize the true nature of the self.

Bhakti Yoga (The path of devotion): Surrender to the Almighty, mantra chanting, devotional singing, and seeing divinity in all beings.

Karma Yoga (The path of selfless action): Actions without attachment to results, serving humanity as an expression of love to the Almighty, cultivating the culture of surrender to the Almighty God.

Raja Yoga (The path of meditation and controlling the mind): Follow the path of Yam, Niyam, Dhan, Dharana, Asana, and Pranayama to control the mind.

Supramind Evolution: Harmonizing the body, mind, and soul for spiritual evolution. Awakening the psychic being (true inner self) through inner work. Aspiring for the descent of the Supramental Consciousness as per Sri Aurobindo’s vision.

Question No. 2—How does Integral Yoga differ from traditional yoga?

Ans: Integral Yoga differs from traditional yoga in its overall transformative and comprehensive approach. Usually, traditional yoga focuses mainly on a single path, i.e., Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Karma Yoga, whereas Integral Yoga combines all the paths into a unified practice for self-realization.

Question No. 3: What is Integral Yoga?

Ans: Integral Yoga is a comprehensive spiritual system that combines all the paths of traditional yoga to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual transformation. Integral Yoga was developed by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, it goes beyond traditional practices like Hatha Yoga (physical well-being), Raja Yoga (meditation), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Karma Yoga (selfless action), and Jnana Yoga (wisdom) into a combined practice.

Question No. 4: Is Integral Yoga religious?

Ans: No, it is religious. Integral Yoga is spiritual, it goes beyond religious boundaries.

Question No. 5: How does Integral Yoga affect daily life?

Ans: Integral Yoga changes the thought process, better relationships with others, and work into a spiritual practice.