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About Yoga
Yoga according to Lizzie Bicknell 
Yoga is an ancient form of self improvement that has been handed down in the Indian tradition by word of mouth.
Patanjali was the first to compile a book of aphorisms which can be dated anywhere between the fourth century BC and the fourth century AD. He created a practical handbook of techniques which advanced Yoga from a mystical tradition to the level of a system of philosophy. Best known are the Eight Limbs of Yoga. The original language used is Sanskrit which is now obsolete but still used to describe the postures.
1 Yama – Moral disciplines
2 Niyama – Self discipline and study of self
3 Asana – The physical exercises designed to help you to be able to sit still
4 Pranayama – Breathing exercises and control
5 Pratyahara – Freeing yourself from the senses
6 Dharana – Concentration
7 Dhyana – Meditation, becoming one with your object of concentration
9 Samadhi – Merging your sense of yourself with the Universal Soul
There is nothing to believe in Yoga. An old adage is ‘I do not want a teacher who influences me, I want a teacher who teaches me not to be influenced’. In other words you become your own teacher with self observation.
You will find as many variations of Yoga as there are Yoga teachers. The common thread is that your mind and body work together, feeling the movements with refined concentration leading to safe stretching and mental absorption leaving you feeling refreshed and calm.
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