Man and The Yoga Lifestyle

The focus on yoga in the West is very often placed on the physical postures of hatha yoga. This aspect of yoga appeals to many men because of the physical strength, flexibility, and grace these postures can help them achieve. Yoga can do much more than help you make the most of your body, though.
Yoga is a very rich and multifaceted web of practices. The ultimate goal of yoga is union of the individual self with the Cosmic Self. Some venerated approaches to yoga eschew the physical practices of hatha yoga in favor of other practices that foster self-reflection, such as meditation and breath awareness. Hatha yoga literally means the "forceful yoga." Some yoga sages believe that hatha yoga can be too "forceful" a path.
The Yoga Vasistha, one of the leading classic texts on yoga, described the experience of self-realization by a sage named Uddalaka. It recounts in detail how this man achieved bliss. Uddalaka engaged himself in austerities and the study of scriptures. He sat down in meditation and recited the sacred word Om, while he practiced special breathing techniques. And through these means, Uddalaka entered into a superconscious state in which he achieved enlightenment and liberation. It is significant that the writer of this sacred text underscores the fact that Uddalaka achieved self-realization without the practice of hatha yoga: "All this Uddalaka practiced without the violence involved in Hatha Yoga, for Hatha Yoga gives rise to pain."
While the Yoga Vasistha describes hatha yoga as leading to pain, it certainly doesn¡¯t need to. With instruction and guidance from a qualified teacher, hatha yoga practice need not be too forceful, painful, or dangerous. Because many men think of yoga only as the practice of hatha yoga, though, it is important to know that you can also follow a path of yoga without necessarily doing the physical postures of hatha yoga. The following chapter will introduce you to additional yoga practices that you can use to round out your practice of hatha yoga or do instead of hatha yoga if you prefer.
Pursued to the fullest, yoga can help you make the most of both your body and your mind to achieve a place of inner peace and tranquility. In addition to providing guidance on beneficial physical postures, yoga can also help teach you about ways to live a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle. If you expand your physical practice of yoga to embrace its teachings on diet, breathing exercises, and meditation, you can join the millions of other men around the world who have discovered that yoga is not only a physical discipline, but also a way of life. Chapter 16 provides valuable information on how you can make yoga a complete practice for realizing your full potential as a man.