Yoga is a holistic approach to the material and spiritual world. Yoga, which basically means connection, is oneness between body and ātman (the soul). It is a connection with the (subtle) body, expressed in the mind and in yourself.
Yoga or rather Aṣṭāṃga Yoga is a science in itself, which has been compiled and elaborated by Maharṣi Patanjali. This Yoga teaching, built on the reflections of the Sāṃkhya Darśana of Maharṣi Kapil, consists of 8 parts or steps. By practicing these steps consistently with dedication, discipline and perseverance the individual can connect with or bridge to the essence of the self or ātman.
The model of the body and mind expounded by Maharṣi Patañjali consists of 3 parts: the gross, subtle and causal bodies. The elements which make up the mind are: Manas, Citta or Buddhi and Ahaṃkāra. Manas is in constant contact with the outside world through the senses of knowledge, jñānendriyas and the motor organs, karmendriyas and catches all stimuli which it forwards to the judgment or deciding body, the Buddhi. Without control or direction from the Buddhi and ultimately the Puruṣa, Manas constantly searches for things that satisfy the senses. The impulses that enter the Manas are forwarded to Buddhi which then copies and stores them in Ahaṃkāra, where one’s own experience and choices in the present and past are also included. It joins with the saṃskāras, the impressions of past lives, and the individuality.
The third part is the material body, which is tangible and visible. This body is composed of the five primal elements of nature, earth, (pṛthvī,) air (vāyu), fire (agni) water (jala) and space (ãkāśa) and is subject to the laws of nature. The material body is composed of the skeleton, muscular system, circulatory system, respiration, digestion, reproduction and excretion.
All parts are functionally connected. The Puruṣa, the higher Self, directs subtle and gross material bodies to gain knowledge and experiences and to act. It is a reciprocal relationship because the conditions of subtle and gross bodies provide the power for sustained spiritual growth. This growth depends on the extent to which the workings of the mind can be brought to a halt, which is easier said than done because a number of the steps of Aṣṭāṃga Yoga must be mastered prior to meditation, such as breathing techniques, the ability to shut oneself off from the outside world without difficulty. It comes down to shutting down the workings of the mind, which is explained in detail in the third precept of the Yoga sūtra: Yogaścittavṛttinirodhaḥ (stilling the mind in order to experience Ultimate Reality and move toward Self-realization). Through the path of meditation, the individual comes to understand that the essence of existence is not the body with which we identify ourselves, but the self, the puruṣa.
The disorientation arises from our upbringing in which we are primarily taught to subordinate nature to the realization of our ambitions and to create as much wealth as possible. Because of this focus on the outside world, there is little need for a large part of humanity to explore inner potentialities. If we want to discover the essence of existence, we have to rewrite the software from our actions. This rewriting is only possible by intensifying meditation. Practicing this Yoga is a complete way to transcend pain and sorrow and experience lasting happiness.
To get an idea of what one experiences in meditation, one reverts to the three states of consciousness that humans undergo. The waking period (Jāgṛta): the mind is active. Then the sleep state in which there is dreaming (svapna) and then the stage of deepest sleep is Suṣupti, in which one is not aware of anything. This state is universally experienced as pleasant. One then comes out well-rested and energized. The battery is recharged. One also gets this experience when coming out of meditation. Those who have mastered the techniques of meditation can, in a conscious state, call up the experiences from the Suṣupti at any time.
The interrelationship and interaction between the aforementioned bodies is also explained by the 5-skins model: annamaya kośa, prāṇamaya kośa, manomaya kośa, vijñānamayakośa and ānandamaya kośa. The interaction between these bodies has already been described. To indicate the influence of food on our well-being, only the annamaya kośa will be focused on here.
Spiritual growth also requires a firm chassis, an optimally functioning physical body that is flexible and in which all energies can flow smoothly through the smallest capillaries. The food we ingest with the absorbed oxygen are the power plants on which the total body floats. According to Āyurveda, all kinds of fine constituents are derived from food and drained to the specific organs. The food one ingests also determines the conditions under which the brain functions, which is also a part of prakṛti. The prakṛti has 3 qualities, known as guṇas, which of course is
also found in the food- sattva, rajasa and tamasa. So these qualities are also found in our food which is produced by nature. In the primal state these qualities are in balance.
The sāttvika qualities are balance, clarity and thoughtfulness. The foods that stimulate these conditions are also called sāttvika: organically grown vegetarian foods and dairy products.
Rājasika state is expressed as dynamism, energetic and restlessness. Examples of Rājasika food are meat, fish, and alcohol. Tāmasika food: not fresh food, meat products that are past their date, and drugs. Tāmasika is expressed as sluggishness, low energy and darkness.
The effects of food depend on the constitution of the individual: kapha, pitta or vāta. In kapha type persons the water element dominates, in pitta type the fire element and in vāta type the air dominates. These elements occur in combinations. The person’s most dominant element determines their constitution and with this is also connected the kind of food one has to take, in what combination, quantities and at what times. Thus, it is of utmost importance to understand that the kind of food that one eats determines one’s physical and spiritual well-being. Therefore Yoga and Ayurveda should be practiced together to achieve the best outcomes in terms of physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
EN 
NL