Yoga and creativity are inextricably linked. Yoga practitioners worldwide can attest that their daily practice serves their creativity well. So how are yoga and creativity connected? After all, one is a physical and mental discipline, and the latter a manifestation of innovative thoughts and ideas. But what seems like the ultimate mismatch, is in fact deeply entangled. Both can lead to a newfound enlightenment. Creativity needn’t necessarily be painting, sculpting or writing a novel, one can be an artist in the smallest of his or her endeavors from doing chores to planning out an afternoon. People are creative when the things they do are executed with passion, imagination, a sense of humour or a new approach.

What can yoga do for creativity?

To access the deep seated creativity within us, yoga can influence one’s body and chakras, mind, ego and focus.

Body and chakras
Yoga increases bodily and spatial awareness. Pranayama and other breathing techniques pump oxygen into the body and increase renal and cerebral blood flow, causing the organs to function better. This energised circulation as well as the inner massage from the asanas cleanses and rids the body of toxins and stimulates creativity.

The first and the sixth chakra are strongly linked to creativity. Stimulating Muladhara, the root chakra which grounds us, gives us the confidence to express ourselves. The sixth chakra, Ajna or the ‘third eye’ is associated with intuition connecting the mind and psyche, to unleash the subconscious creativity within us. The second chakra Svadhishthana is often referred to as the source of sexual and creative energy.

Mind
Yoga also creates mental awareness. The meditative aspect of yoga helps eliminate unnecessary thoughts cluttering the mind, freeing up valuable imagination real estate. When the mind is clear, ideas will flow easily and freely. The best inspiration comes from a calm mind that is free of constant distraction.

Breathing techniques are also known for their effect on banishing negativity. A mind free of dark thoughts breeds clever ideas without playing devil’s advocate and dismissing what may be constructive or worthwhile ideas.

Yoga practice also makes one mindful and subject to meta thinking (thinking about thinking) when in the process of creating. The importance of this is that one is constantly made aware of the background, possibilities and limitations of their new work.

Ego
We’re all well aware that ego (consciousness of the separate personal self) hinders innovation. Yoga can help you surrender your ego and give into the creative process. One things that severely hinders the creative process is the need to control it. Drop the ego and immediately one is less defensive, more open minded and more creative.

Focus
Yoga also increases focus, which can benefit your expression of creativity. This enhanced focus is the reason many people practice yoga early in the morning to feel more centered and productive during the day. Yoga will calm you and aid you in concentrating on what matters and shifts the focus to your art.

The key to using yoga to unearth your creativity is to practice regularly and train your body, mind and spirit. That said, even short bursts of yoga around fifteen minutes before you embark on any creative pursuit will help.

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Photo credits: leshoward, dalydose on flickr

As we saw in our previous Post (Yoga: The Path to Enlightenment Part- 1) Yoga, is life changing way to spiritual consciousness and the greater unknown. The Path of Enlightenment through Yoga is not a difficult one but requires dedication, openness to change and continuous practice.

The path to enlightenment according to Patanjali, the sage of yoga, involves the practice of 8 steps also known as the 8 limbs of Yoga. These 8 steps are not mere temporary rituals but a complete lifestyle and if followed, leads to a person’s personal development that in time will achieve the harmony of the mind, the body and the spirit which leads to Samadhi or Enlightenment.

Here’s a closer look at the 8 Limbs of Yoga leading up to Samadhi/Enlightenment.

1. Yamas – (Moral behavior towards others). Yama comes from the root word ‘yam’ ‘to hold’ or ‘to rule’. Yamas represent behaviors that ‘control’ certain negative tendencies enhance our own our fundamental nature when it comes to compassion, generosity, honest and peace. Necessary to change one’s attitude towards others and the world around them for harmonious living. Yamas serve as guidelines to moral behavior towards others. They include -

• Ahimsa (Non-violence): Ahimsa involves not causing any sort of harm to creatures or any person. It includes not having harmful thoughts towards others too. More than just the lack of violence, Ahimsa teaches us to practice acts of kindness and compassion for the world around you.
• Satya (Truthfulness): Satya is the Moral code for honesty. While satya means “to speak the truth” is can entail a negative consequence for another person and since this conflicts with the Yama – Ahimsa, it is best not to say anything. Constant vigilance of what one says, how it is said and the consequence of one’s words and actions is all a part of the Yama- Satya.
• Asteya (Non-stealing): Steya means ‘to steal’ while Asteya is it’s opposite which means never to steal or take what does not belong to us. It doesn’t only concern objects or material things but also ideas and other forms of possession. The practice of Asteya includes not misusing what is given to us by others including their time and energy. We have to be conscious of our actions and behavior that may result in demanding someone’s attention even though it’s not freely given.
• Brahmacharya (Non-lust): Bramacharya means to move toward the essential truth responsibly. It concerns achieving self-control through abstinence or moderation regarding sexual activity. Brahmacharya does not necessarily imply celibacy, but not doing anything in excess by giving in to our ego’s desires as that would hamper our goal.
• Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness): This yama means doing with only what is necessary and living a life free from greed. It involves not taking advantage of anyone, anything or any situation, using our power appropriately for good and not exploiting it. It also calls for not attaching ourselves to things and understanding that impermanence and change are the only constants in our lives.

2. Niyams – (Moral behavior towards oneself). Observances or actions regarding one’s attitude towards himself or herself. They are not exercises but your attitude and how treating yourself can change that. It is necessary for achieving a balance within oneself.The Niyams include:

• Saucha (Cleanliness): This niyam includes aspects of inner and outer cleanliness and purity. Detoxifying and cleansing the physical body first are necessary to achieve inner cleanliness. This is done through the practice of asanas (yoga poses) which tones the entire body and removes toxins and pranayamas (breathing exercises) that cleanse our lungs, oxygenates our blood and purifies our nerves. Apart from just our body, the mind must also be kept clean or pure by eliminating negative thoughts and emotions such as anger, lust, greed and pride. Outer cleanliness, on the other hand, means keeping a clean environment and surroundings.
• Santosa (Contentment): Being content with what you have and who you are completely. Cultivating an acceptance to whatever happens is an important part of Santosa. To find contentment one must practice humility, modesty and acceptance.
• Tapas (Austerity): This Niyama refers to keeping the body in good condition. This involves disciplined use of our energies, both physical and mental like for example- eating only when hungry, maintaining a good posture, attention to breathing patterns etc.
• Svadhyaya (Study of Sacred texts and one’s self): Using self-examination, self-awareness and self-reflective consciousness to get to know one’s self better is part of Svadhyaya. The deeper you know yourself, the closer you get to your union with all things and ultimately the higher power.
• Isvara pranidhana (Awareness of the Divine): Letting go of ourselves and the sense of control in order to connect with the Divine. Recognition that there is a force larger than man omnipresent that guides and directs the course of our lives is what this niyam teaches us.

3. Asana – (Practice of Yoga postures and exercises). This is the most commonly known aspect of yoga around the World. But, the understanding and reasoning behind the practice of Yoga Asanas is often lost. More than just health, strength, balance and flexibility, asanas meaning “staying” or “abiding” in Sanskrit, are used as a tool to calm the mind and move into the inner essence of being. They are designed to free our mind from tension, stress and to detoxify. It aims at bringing about a harmonious balance and union between the body and mind. Strengthening more than just muscles, yoga asanas strengthen our will, determination, alertness and energies through it’s discipline. It also quietens the mind, relaxes the body in preparation of meditation and important step to spiritual enlightenment.

4. Pranayama – (Practice of breathing exercises and breath control). In Pranayama, by controlling our breathing it is said to control the energy or life force (prana) within the us. This restores and maintains one’s health while promoting evolution. When you learn to control your breathing- i.e the duration of inhalation, retention and exhalation of air within your body, it strengthens and cleanses the nervous system thus increasing a person’s source of life energy. It also helps calm the mind and makes it more focused for other tasks. Pranayama breathing goes hand-in-hand with Yoga Asanas.

5. Pratyahara – (Withdrawal of the senses). Pratyahara means withdrawal. It happens in meditation when one is so focused and immersed in breathing and meditating that the senses become completely unaware of everything else. In other words, the whole world around you just moves away and you can focus solely on your inner self without any distractions whatsoever.

6. Dharana – (Concentration). Dharana means training the mind to concentrate on sheer nothingness. No external nor internal distractions. This is practiced by learning to focus intensely on one object and then letting go of that one.

7. Dhyana – (Meditation). The transition of Dharna (focus on an object to nothingness) leads to Dhyana which is an uninterrupted flow of this concentration and consciousness that is no longer focused on a single thing but is all encompassing. Achieving Dhayna heightens one’s awareness and oneness with the universe upto the extent that you feel one with the universe…it is the final step to the Goal- Samadhi or Enlightenment.

8. Samadhi – (Enlightenment). It is the result of the practice of the previous 7 steps. It’s a state of Super-consciousness. Detachment of your body and all worldly things. The merging of the self with the universe. Bliss. Peace. Ultimate awareness. In other words, Enlightenment.

The 8 steps of Yoga are not necessarily to be practiced in progression, they are in fact an integrated process that works together (hence, called limbs), leading to the ultimate goal of Enlightenment. Limbs 1 and 2 are to be practiced in everyday life all the time. Most people start with 3 the physical postures and poses of yoga meant to energize the body and relax the mind. After regular practice of this, along with step four, breath control – you will notice other changes start taking place. These eight principles if practiced regularly and adopted as a lifestyle will lean to deeper self-knowledge, love and respect towards other people and creatures and Spiritual fulfillment.

* Photo credits: photos by adhiwus.com Photography – Bali, Oude School, milopeng, Claude Morcos on flickr

One of the most sought after aspects of life for mankind is enlightenment. The answers to questions we have all asked ourselves time and time again, the mysteries of life, the desire to know and be more like the higher being we call God. This spiritual consciousness leads us to a quest for enlightenment…a way to God- The All Knowing.

There are many ways or paths to enlightenment and Yoga is one of the most ancient of them. We’re not talking about the Americanized new age aerobics they call Yoga, with its latest yoga inspired apparel and purely physical focus of what was once an ancient Indian practice for self realization, which is key to obtaining enlightenment. The true philosophy of Yoga is it’s practice to attain a state where the self is perceived as the awareness that experiences thoughts. It is a state of mind involving the detoxification of material and worldly goods, strengthening the body and achieving a higher level of self consciousness that allows one to surrender themselves completely in order to be brought closer to God.

As we saw in the Types of Yoga, only a few stress on the physical aspects of Yoga, namely Hatha Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga among the classic types. Even these types of yoga are practiced to purify the physical body and bring strength in order to lead to the purification of the mind. This disciplined path for purification of our attachments to the temporary material world of form. Even our body is considered just an object or carrier of energies or what is sometimes referred to as a Soul. The path to enlightenment is a path that people undertake various spiritual practices to attain Divinity.

Yoga places great importance in meditation. This indispensable practice involves concentrated efforts of meditation where thinking, slowly comes to a rest and becomes a non-influence whereby the mind knows that it is perceiving what is. It is considered a state of oneness with all existence. It takes great patience and a conscious effort to overcome distractions and to let go completely in meditation. Even a little meditation a day gets you closer to enlightenment, as well as offers you great health benefits.

The path to enlightenment according to Patanjali, the sage of yoga, involves the practice of 8 steps also known as the 8 limbs of Yoga. These 8 steps are not mere temporary rituals  but a complete lifestyle and if followed, leads to a person’s personal development that in time will achieve the harmony of the mind, the body and the spirit which leads to Samadhi or enlightenment. These 8 Limbs of Yoga leading up to Samadhi/Enlightenment are-

1. Yamas - Ethical restraints for moral behavior. Necessary to change your attitude towards others and the world around you for harmonious living. There are 5 Yamas-

• Ahimsa (Non-violence)
• Satya (Truthfulness)
• Asteya (Non-stealing)
• Brahmacharya (Non-lust)
• Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)

2. Niyams – Observances or actions regarding moral behavior towards oneself. Necessary for achieving a balance within oneself. They include:

• Saucha (Cleanliness)
• Santosa (Contentment)
• Tapas (Austerity)
• Svadhyaya (Study of Sacred texts and one’s self)
• Isvara pranidhana (Awareness of the Divine)

3. Asana – Practice of Yoga postures and exercises.

4. Pranayama – Practice of breathing exercises. and breath control.

5. Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the senses.Complete inward focus and attention to one’s self so you are no longer distracted by outside events.

6. Dharana – Concentration and focus of the mind without any distraction, internal or external.

7. Dhyana – Meditation. An uninterrupted flow of concentration aimed to heighten one’s awareness and oneness with the universe. An unbroken stream of consciousness that is no longer focused on a single thing but is all encompassing.

8. Samadhi - Enlightenment through a State of Super-consciousness. The merging of the self with the universe. Bliss. It is more an end result, rather than a practice.

Every step and effort towards enlightenment provides greater awareness, well being and joy. So, why not learn more about and take up Yoga as a way of life today. Take our advice, Yoga is a well-rounded physical, mental and spiritual practice that’ll energize you and bring most important benefit – the balance in your life.

*Photo Credits: photos by alicepopkorn and Marcia_Salviato on flickr

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com