The Yoga School of Philosophy and its Theory of Self-Realization

The primary goal of the Yoga school is to attain self-realization, which is the realization of one's true nature as a pure, unbounded, and blissful consciousness.

The central concept of the Yoga school is the Atman, which is the true self or the inner essence of an individual. The Atman is believed to be pure, unbounded, and blissful consciousness.

According to the Yoga school, the Atman and the Brahman are the same. The Atman is the individual self, while the Brahman is the universal self. Both are believed to be pure, unbounded, and blissful consciousness.

According to the Yoga school, suffering is caused by ignorance, attachment, and desire. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of one's true nature. Attachment is the clinging to objects, people, or experiences. Desire is the craving for things that are not necessary for one's well-being.

The path to self-realization according to the Yoga school is outlined in the Yoga Sutras, a collection of 196 aphorisms written by the sage Patanjali. The Yoga Sutras provide a step-by-step guide to the practice of yoga, which is believed to lead to self-realization.

The eight limbs of yoga are Yama (moral restraints), Niyama (self-observances), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (enlightenment).

The purpose of the Yama and Niyama is to develop moral and ethical values, improve physical and mental health, and prepare the mind for meditation.

The purpose of the Asana is to improve physical strength and flexibility, promote relaxation and stress reduction, and prepare the body for meditation.

The purpose of the Pranayama is to control the breath and improve lung capacity, promote relaxation and stress reduction, and improve concentration and focus.

The purpose of the Pratyahara is to withdraw the senses from external objects, promote relaxation and stress reduction, and improve concentration and focus.

The purpose of the Dharana is to focus the mind on a single object, promote relaxation and stress reduction, and improve concentration and focus.

The purpose of the Dhyana is to maintain focus on a single object for an extended period of time, promote relaxation and stress reduction, and improve concentration and focus.

The purpose of the Samadhi is to achieve a state of complete absorption and union with the divine.

Patanjali is considered to be the founder of the Yoga school of philosophy. He is the author of the Yoga Sutras, which is the foundational text of the Yoga school.

The Yoga school of philosophy was founded in the 2nd century BCE by Patanjali.