How do i Realize my Potential?

It is like taking a bath in a pool of pure water. Optimum utilization of food, air, What is Sivananda yoga water and sunlight is essential. The ancient yogis had a profound understanding of man’s essential nature and of what he needs to live in harmony with himself and his environment. He promotes divine life by combining the practice of Karma Yoga (selfless service), Bhakti Yoga (devotional love to God), Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga (systematic control of body, breath, and mind, culminating in meditation), and, last but not least, Jnana Yoga (or Vedanta philosophy), which is the philosophical teachings of the True Nature of the Self and of the Universe. We need to be aware of the nature of our thoughts in order to improve our life and to keep meditating and ultimately realizing our perfect positive nature. He should have perfect adaptability, mercy, and cosmic love. You live so that you may learn to love. You love so that you may learn to live in the Eternal. To love is to fulfill the law. Love is nectar. Love is the greatest power on earth.

"There is a power contained in thought. Be aware of thought influences. If you mix with polluted thought environments, you will pick up negative thoughts that you would not normally have. Mental and emotional stress comes from a hectic lifestyle, highly demanding jobs, distractions of the mind, low vitality due to lack of prana, and negative emotions such as anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, and anxiety. The best way to improve our life is to constantly keep positive thoughts in our mind and to be able to change negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Keep the mind inspired by being aware of the physical and mental benefits of each posture. Swami Vishnudevananda states that being free from identification with the body, the mind, and ego consciousness is the only way to reach a state of complete relaxation. Through complete relaxation we live in the solid present, overcome our fears of death and of the future, and welcome life’s demands with strength and courage, able to guide our mind, control our desires and choose better priorities. It is better to practice in silence without music or chanting.

Practice daily, or at least 4 times a week, for 1-2 hours for maximum benefit. If there is no time, stick to the basic 12 postures without variations, you will get the maximum benefit anyway. In a practice session we will do 10 rounds starting on the left and ending on the left side. Achieve balance through posture and counter posture, on both the right and left sides, holding the postures on each side for an equal length of time. Side note: I am reading a fantastic book right now that my housemate lent me, The American Veda, which illustrates how Eastern philosophy and yoga has influenced American culture more than we have realized - and yoga studios in probably every major city/town in the US can attest to this. You can find anecdotes where people have achieved much better results with much more practice. Mental relaxation is achieved through correct breathing, concentration of the mind and positive thinking. Modern life, especially in big cities, is full of stress as modern working and living conditions are full of pressure, and devoid of prana and relaxation. It consists not only in deciding to stop eating meat, but in learning a new way of life, by being conscious of how you nourish yourself.

It includes not only being aware of what you eat, but also how you eat. Proper diet includes periodic fasting as well, to give a break to the digestive system, purify body and mind, and to make the mind more perceptive, more sattvic, and more conducive to concentration, contemplation and meditation. There is medical evidence that a balanced vegetarian diet is extremely healthy and provides everything the body needs. Correct nutrition and diet gives proper fuel for the body and the mind without creating toxins and digestive problems. The body needs food for two purposes: as fuel to supply energy, and as materials to repair body tissues. Yogis promote taking time to cook, and to eat consciously in a regular manner, with appropriate intervals between meals to allow the digestive fire to activate and digest the food. Swami Sivananda’s teaching included the concept of "little, little" - doing a little bit at a time on each of the paths of yoga, and not trying to do too much at once.