Yoga: A journey within
NLC student club teaches art free
By Shambhu Sharan

Inner odyssey begins with the physical body – in fact, the body is the vehicle for the journey.

The complex symphony of the body is conducted by a system of glands known as endocrine glands, which secrete hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones have a profound effect on all the body functions – growth, digestion, energy level, heat, metabolism, sexuality, and also on the mind. Over or under secretion of various glands can cause mental disturbances and negative emotions such as anxiety, hatred, fear or anger, which destroy peace of mind.

The most mysterious gland in the human body is the pineal gland, located directly in the center of the brain. Yogis recognized the tremendous importance of this tiny, mushroom-shaped gland, which they called “the place of soul” and “controller of thought.”

Long ago, underdeveloped creatures such as lizards had a third eye in the top of their heads. Gradually, over millions of years of evolution, this ‘eye’ descended into the brain, and became the pineal gland in the human beings.

Scientists found that the pineal gland secretes certain hormones ,which affect all the lower glands and sub-glands. For centuries yogis have realized the proper balance of the hormonal secretions for the control of the mind., and they developed a series of yoga positions designed specifically to affect the endocrine glands.

The physical body is made of food which is the vehicle of mind. The fundamental awareness of spiritual development is the realization, “I am not this physical body.” Thus physical body is a machine and the conscious mind is the controller.

Yoga: A journey within
NLC student club teaches art free
By Shambhu Sharan

Inner odyssey begins with the physical body – in fact, the body is the vehicle for the journey.

The complex symphony of the body is conducted by a system of glands known as endocrine glands, which secrete hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones have a profound effect on all the body functions – growth, digestion, energy level, heat, metabolism, sexuality, and also on the mind. Over or under secretion of various glands can cause mental disturbances and negative emotions such as anxiety, hatred, fear or anger, which destroy peace of mind.

The most mysterious gland in the human body is the pineal gland, located directly in the center of the brain. Yogis recognized the tremendous importance of this tiny, mushroom-shaped gland, which they called “the place of soul” and “controller of thought.”

Long ago, underdeveloped creatures such as lizards had a third eye in the top of their heads. Gradually, over millions of years of evolution, this ‘eye’ descended into the brain, and became the pineal gland in the human beings.

Scientists found that the pineal gland secretes certain hormones ,which affect all the lower glands and sub-glands. For centuries yogis have realized the proper balance of the hormonal secretions for the control of the mind., and they developed a series of yoga positions designed specifically to affect the endocrine glands.

The physical body is made of food which is the vehicle of mind. The fundamental awareness of spiritual development is the realization, “I am not this physical body.” Thus physical body is a machine and the conscious mind is the controller.

Conscious mind creates desire and it has three functions: sensing, desire or aversion, and acting, sensing the stimuli of the external world through the five sense organs (eye, ears, nose tongue, and skin), having desire to that stimuli, and acting to materialize those desires with the five motor organs (hands, feet, vocal cord, sexual and excretory organs).

Human beings are most similar to animals by four basic insticts: hunger, sleep, fear, and sex. But these instincts are natural and they should be controlled and channeled.

Human existence is much more than the instinctive drives of the of the conscious mind, activating the physical body to enjoy the external world through the senses. Today, the materialistic ideaologies are based on physical satisfaction enjoyment concentrate on the economic aspects of life.

The world needs a socio-economic theory, which recognizes the subtler levels of human existence as well. The Ideology should be based on collective welfare of society, which can teach universalism where people can feel a part of universal family. Spirituality and yoga teach the universal love and cosmic brotherhood.

Yoga classes are taught free of charge by North Lake Yoga Club members. Contact Dada Shubhacetanananda at 972-699-3838 or email shubhany@yahoo.com for more information.

http://www.northlakecollege.edu/newsregister/2008/03_31_08/yoga.html