The heart of yoga and meditation
In the world view of India’s ancient sages, a central concept was the underlying unity that links all forms of life. Many of the sacred rituals and hymns of these early times expressed reverence for this eternal principle that allows the universe to function as a unified whole.
The spiritual wisdom developed by these seers included the discovery of a way to control the mind so that this highly valued unity could be experienced within the self. This was the birth of meditation and the term used to describe this “union” was yoga, a Sanskrit word meaning to join or unify.
Yoga’s original association with meditation later expanded to include many other disciplines, including the hatha yoga that has become so important in recent times. At its highest level, yoga refers to the union of the individual soul with the universal soul, and the various disciplines of yoga each offer a different pathway to this union.
Over the centuries, a vast pool of philosophical wisdom has developed around the concept of union — from the time of India’s early sages through to the work of more recent spiritual leaders and yogis. If you’re a meditation or yoga practitioner, exploring this pool of wisdom has the potential to open up a whole new way to experience your practice, helping you to maximise their physical,
