Yogi in Kerala, India

Classical yoga is a darśana, or doctrine, that is theistic and emphasizes purification through meditation. A yogi, or practitioner of yoga, meditates in order to achieve true bliss, which involves a complete withdrawal from the world. The yogi assumes the bodily posture that affords the most stability and the least effort, as shown here by a yogi from Kerala in India. Effective meditation relies on careful control of respiration and intense focus upon a single object. The yogi strives to transcend body and matter through consistent meditation.

Walter S. Clark/Photo Researchers, Inc.

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Meditation; Philosophy, Indian; Yoga; Religion; Kerala

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