At that point, we need to define the meaning of the term Yoga as
well as of the term therapy.
Yog or Jog: in Sanskrit it means to join, to put under a yoke,
to unite, and by extension the various ways or techniques which
help doing so, which lead to the union, union being the highest
signification of the word Yoga.
Therefore, we shall find many different ways which are conducive
to this goal.
Gyâna
(Jñâna)
Yoga, the Yoga of self knowledge: knowing
our voice to know ourselves, the voice being the reflection of
our deep nature, of our psyche; working on our voice to work on
ourselves.
Bhakti
Yoga, the Yoga of devotion, of love: to sing Dhrupad
music or any sacred music, we have to devote our time, our life
to it and when at times we merge into the music, being one with
the
sound, with
our voice, with our higher Self, then our heart
opens and what we experience is pure joy, is love.
Karma
Yoga, the Yoga of action for the action, not expecting any fruit
or rewards
of any kind from it: the spirit of Dhrupad is to
sing as a prayer, as worship, as an offering or a meditation, with
bliss as a goal.
Singing is thus the way and the goal.
Mantra
Yoga, the Yoga of words of power (Mantra): the sacred
syllables, the poems or prayers sung in Dhrupad are words of powers.
Kundalinî Yoga:
in singing the scale we relate the tones to the various planes
of our being regulating and balancing the energies
in our physical as well as psychic bodies.
Hatha Yoga,
in which one works on the physical body through Âsana (postures)
and through breath control (Prânâyâma):
in the ancient Indian scriptures about music it is said that the
musician
should sit in Padmâsana (lotus position), it involves that
the musician has mastered the Âsana of Hatha Yoga to be able
to sit for hours (as one sings or
plays for hours in
Indian music). Singing is Prânâyâma
for through Alankâr (exercises on
the scale), through rhythms, one
will automatically and
gently work on ones breath.
Râjâ Yoga,
the royal Yoga as it includes all the other forms of Yoga in it.
Here it is important to note that in any form of Yoga the
ethical rules, Yama and Nyama are
extremely important and should not be disregarded or neglected,
else the techniques could even be dangerous
for the spiritual evolution, as they could inflate the ego instead
of having it merge into Nâda, the sound or into Samâdhi.
The Yama are the restraints and the Nyama the observances which
secure
a correct behaviour bringing harmony and happiness in one's life
and in the world.
The Sâdhanâ or spiritual effort is necessary and the
goal should not be lost!
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