Yoga

Yoga ni mazoezi ya kiroho na kimwili yenye asili katika falsafa ya Uhindi. Tangu miaka ya 1980 yoga ilisambaa pia nje ya Uhindi katika nchi za magharibi kama mazoezi ya kimwili. Katika utamaduni wa Kihindi yoga inatekelezwa pamoja na jitihada za kiroho na kidini kwenye msingi wa Uhindu na pia Ubuddha. Mtu anayefanya mazoezi ya yoga huitwa yogi.

Mazoezi ya Yoga katika kikundi

Shabaha za Yoga

Shabaha ya mazoezi ya yoga ni kujikamilisha kama binadamu mwenye mwili, nafsi na roho. Hapa ni wazo muhimu kutawala tamaa za mwili na roho zinazotazamiwa kama kizuizi kwenye njia ya kufikia ukamilifu. Kwa hiyo mwanafunzi wa yoga apate kujifunza nidhamu ya ndani na nidhamu ya kimwili.

Njia muhimu kuelekea shabaha hii ni kufanya mazoezi ya kudhibiti pumzi na kumakinisha fikra na hisia. Watendaji na walimu wa yoga huamini ya kwamba mazoezi haya yanachangia kwenye afya ya kimwili na kiroho. Kujifunza mikao fulani ya mwili ni mbinu ya kufikia shabaha za yoga.

Yoga katika Magharibi

Yoga ilisambazwa na walimu kutoka Uhindini katika Ulaya na Marekani. Katika nchi hizi za magharibi ni zaidi mazoezi ya kimwili na elimu ya mikao yaliyopokelewa bila kuelewa asili katika roho ya Uhindu na falsafa yake. Yoga imependekezwa kama mbinu za kunpunza matatizo ya afya, kuimarisha musuli na hasa uti wa mgongo kwa watu wanaoketi muda mrefu ofisini, na kupunguza dhiki na shinikizo ya maisha ya kisasa (stress). Kwa hiyo matumizi yayoga inafanana kiasi na aina ya michezo.

Yoga na dini nyingine

Kiasi mazoezi ya yoga yanaweza kufanana na taamuli za kiroho jinsi zinavyopatikana pia katika dini kama Ukristo na Uislamu.

Ubuddha

Madhehebu kadhaa za Ubuddha yanajua mazoezi yanayofanana na yoga, hasa upande wa Zen. Hapa njia za kutawala pumzi na fikra zinafundishwa pia, pamoja na mikao mbalimbali ya mwili. Ilhali kulikuwa na kipindi ca athira kubwa ya Kibuddha katika Uhindi inawezekana ya kwamba sehemu za mazoezi ya Yoga zina asili katika Ubuddha.

Ukristo

• Kuna wakristo wanaotoa onyo dhidi ya matumizi ya yoga wakikazia asili yake katika Uhindu
• katika kanisa katoliki mazoezi ya yoga yametumiwa kwa idhini ya papa na maaskofu ndani ya mazoezi ya kiroho

Uislamu

• walimu na viongozi mbalimbali wa Uislamu wamekataza matumizi ya yoga, kwa mfano Misri, Indonesia na Malaysia
• jumuiya za Wasufi wanatumia mbinu za kusimamia pumzi na mikao kadhaa yenye asili katika yoga.

Mifano ya mazoezi ya yoga

• 
  Sanamu ya mungu Siva katika mkao wa Yoga
• 
  Mazoezi ya kwanza ya yoga katika kikundu cha wanafunzi huko Marekani
• 
  Mkao mgumu wa yoga kwa watu wawili

Kujisomea

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• Tovuti ya mwalimu wa yoga Kriya Yoga Mahavatar Babaji