Probably the two most recognized yoga symbols are Om/Aum and the Yin- Yang Symbol. However, all yoga postures are symbols of yoga because they represent states of human or animal life.
The Om or Aum symbol:
Om is a mystical or sacred syllable in the Hindu religion, the very origin of yoga. The syllable Aum was first described as all-encompassing mystical entity in the Upanishads. Today, in all Hindu art and all over India and Nepal, ‘Aum’ can be seen virtually everywhere, a common sign for Hinduism and its philosophy and theology.
It is more of a sound rather than a word. As the creation began, the divine, all-encompassing consciousness took the form of the first and original vibration manifesting as sound “OM.”
The visual symbol for Om is written differently according to language but the one that is used for Om in yoga is the Devanagari script. To western eyes it looks like a figure 3 followed by a loop with a curl and dot above.
This symbol can be printed on yoga mats and clothing. Many yoga practitioners also wear it as jewelry, especially in the form of a pendant, or have it as a tattoo.
In Hindu theology, it can represent truth, unity, the object of meditation, the deity of deities, or the voice of God.
It appears at the beginning of almost all Hindu texts. It is chanted at the beginning of reading Hindu scriptures and before all prayers and mantras. It is often chanted at the beginning of a yoga class, and chanted if practiced alone.
Be seated on the floor if you can, or on a chair, with your back and head straight. If you are on the floor, cross your legs and place your hands in a mudra (Basic Mudra – Thumb and forefinger of both hands join as a zero. The rest of the fingers are extended, with the middle finger touching the non-folded part of the forefinger. The hands are placed palms-down on the thighs while sitting) on your knees.
Relax your breathing. Then make the sound in a monotone, letting your mouth close very slowly to form the vowels Ah, U and then M, holding your Om for the full length of your breath.
The three sounds should run into each other to form one smooth syllable. Let it fade naturally as your lungs empty completely, and then sit for a moment more before beginning your practice. After this long exhalation, you should feel very calm and centered.
The Yin and Yang symbol
This is not strictly a yoga symbol because it comes from Chinese rather than Indian spirituality and culture. However, because it represents the joining of two into one it has a yogic meaning for many yoga practitioners.
Yin is the dark element, black in the traditional circular symbol. It can represent the passive, receptive, feminine, downward-seeking, water and earth, night.
Yang is the light element, white in the symbol. It can represent the active, light, masculine, upward-seeking, fire and air, day.
Yin and yang are two halves of one whole: complementary opposites. All beings and forces of nature have both yin and yang energy in constant movement. If something is described as ‘yin’, it can only be ‘yin’ relative to something else, its complement or its opposite, which is ‘yang’. Therefore, the feminine is yin compared to the masculine which is yang; but a woman by herself contains both yin and yang energy.
The two small circles in the symbol are also very important. They are the yin within yang, and the yang within yin.
Yoga Postures
Yoga poses are also symbolic. Many of them are named after animals or aspects of human life: Child Pose, Cobra Pose, Downward Facing Dog. In going through a yoga practice session we can see ourselves as symbolically taking on all the forms of life and unifying them by giving them expression in our one body.
All of these symbols are a powerful expression of the philosophy of yoga. Yoga symbols are used or worn in many students’ daily lives to remind them of their yoga philosophy of bringing unity to their lives.
Sun Salutations DVD:
Claire E. Diab, an internationally known Yoga teacher and director of the Chopra Center Yoga program, travels throughout the world teaching with Dr. Chopra. In Sun Salutations, Claire will guide you through breathing exercises, awakening the life force. Then some simple and very powerful Qigong (pronounced Chee gong) movements and yoga warm-up exercises to awaken the spine. This prepares you for the 6 Sun Salutations, a set of 12 yoga positions which flow like a dance. Each position changes with the breath, finally ending with a deep relaxation. (From the Chopra Center Store)
Related posts:
Discover the Healthy Eating Secrets You Can Use to Lose Weight & Feel Better Than You Have in Years. With all the foods out there claiming to be low-fat or fat-free or cholesterol free and with all the conflicting research that one day says a particular food is bad for you and the next says it is good, deciding how to “eat healthy” can be extremely difficult. Learn more about 