The Science of Yoga

In spite of the increasing popularity of yoga in the modern world, very few people have an understanding of how deep the study can go or of just how complete it is as a science.
The obvious and most tangible aspect is the physical fitness side that everyone sees. Even this side of it has a few levels that delve beneath the visible surface. Doing the exercises and stretching out the muscles, achieving greater flexibility within the joints and stimulating circulation during that process can very quickly improve how we feel in our bodies. Once we add deep breathing to the movements a whole new dimension opens up, since we change our body chemistry by adding oxygen to the formula. This awakens powers of rejuvenation. Then, the unifying principle of yoga (yoga means union), brings mind into play as we focus on the perception of body sensation while moving, breathing and stretching. From this mental perspective we also study the chemistry of what happens to muscle cells when oxygen is added and carbon dioxide levels are reduced, and then look at all the chemical functions of the liver and other organs in relation to these higher levels of oxygen.

Yoga then bridges this type of knowledge to the energetic concept of chakras and looks more deeply into energy balances of the chakra elements at molecular levels. This enters the quantum physics department: it has long been known to yogis that the elemental forces of the chakras are those which manifest the universe at the subatomic level. At this core level of reality, we find our way through the subatomic particles to the mystery element of conscious awareness - a phenomenon that has just recently been accepted by nuclear scientists as the "Observer factor". This one is understood to be the "essence" of it all in eastern philosophy.

As awareness expands through our experience it cannot help but influence our state of mind, because awareness is also the essence of conscious mind. This brings psychology of mind and emotion into the picture, as the elemental forces of the "chakras" create thoughts and feelings associated with the quality of each force.

Overall, we have a unifying science that contains anatomy, physiology, chemistry, nuclear physics, psychology and then proceeds to philosophy and spiritual reality. All of the above fit into the actuality of human existence, which the science of yoga paints as a comprehensive and complete picture, uniting awareness of all these levels of our being into a deeper experience of Life.

Now add to this the real-time benefit of yoga: it is not only a system of study and analysis, but also contains the techniques and methods for adjusting our own body and brain chemistry to create better health and well being. Again, the physical adjustments are the most obvious and most easily achieved. With refinement and more advanced practices, these adjustments are brought to a level of creating peak performance in bodily processes, and higher states of consciousness through slight alterations in our brain chemistry.

Not only is it scientific, but yoga has stood the test of time through thousands of years.