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Ashtang Yoga: For Attaining the State of Mindfulness

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Abstract

The moment of engagement in experiencing every minute detail around you is mindfulness. It is focusing and refocusing from moment to moment to expand awareness and discover inner peace. Developing this skill weaves a translucent thread of lucidity throughout the fabric of our existence. It allows the fullest and authentic expressions of self. In West, Kabat-Zinn is credited to popularize this age old Buddhist practice as a stress management intervention. An ancient Indian philosophy, older than the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, holds a niche in developing mindfulness—Yoga. Unlike the modern understanding of yoga, which is limited to asanas or physical activity, ashtang yoga comprises eight steps. Each step when practiced scrupulously helps the practitioner to attain mindfulness of surroundings, body, mind and feelings. The paper offers an analysis of yoga steps to attain mindfulness.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

    Gitanjali Roy

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  1. Gitanjali Roy
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Correspondence to Gitanjali Roy.

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Roy, G. Ashtang Yoga: For Attaining the State of Mindfulness. J. Indian Counc. Philos. Res. 38, 445–452 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-021-00257-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-021-00257-3

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