INDIA'S GIFT OF CONSCIOUSNESS TO THE WORLD

The purpose of Yoga is to calm the mind and prepare for meditation.

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Dhyana, or meditation, is the most important part of the practice. The word 'Dhyana' comes from two roots: Dhi, meaning higher wisdom or inner intelligence, and Yana, meaning vehicle or movement. Dhyana becomes the vehicle through which we are joined with the source of wisdom within, the very meaning of Yoga. Physical postures help the body become strong and stable. This makes it easier to sit and meditate for longer periods. It is in the stillness of Dhyana that true transformation occurs, where the vrittis (mental fluctuations) settle, where the ego dissolves, where we touch our essential nature. Without this inward journey, we may achieve a flexible body but remain rigid in consciousness; we may perfect handstands but remain inverted in our understanding of reality.