” Yoga is a light, which one lit, will never dim. The better you practice, the brighter is the flame. “
YOGA AND MEDITATION: 2 PILLARS OF HEALTHY LIFE, a study of balance and essentially a practice for your soul which in turn is works through the medium of your body. It is the science of well being, youthfulness and which beautifully integrates our mind, body and soul. It is very true that we can not always control what goes on outside but we can definitely take control on what goes on inside and thus we say that the nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body.
Yoga gives us a safe space and time to the simplicity of breath and movement and enables us to connect ourselves. Yoga is invigoration in relaxation and cessation of the movements in the mind. We all are made up of mainly three elements which are “mind, body and soul” and to be perfect in all three elements we need to have knowledge, health and inner peace for which the yoga and meditation plays a key role in achieving it.
Meditation is same like a gym in which you develop a powerful mental muscles of calm and insight. The true meditation is about feeling being fully present in the current moment. It is a best means of personal and spiritual development because we must always remember that when we inhale, we are taking the strength from god and when you are exhaling it represents the service you are giving to the outer world.
To keep the body in a very healthy condition is our duty otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind stronger and clearer and thus one must practice the 2 pillars of healthy life with firm determination and perseverance without any mental reservation or doubts. By its constant practice, we can easily free ourselves from fear, anguish and loneliness. It greatly helps us in achieving clarity of life and self awareness, it teaches us to cure what need not to be endured and endure what can not be cured.
The ‘Yoga Mahotsav’ witnessed a massive participation of 50,000 enthusiasts at the NCC Parade Ground here today. The event – organised by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), under the Ministry of Ayush was held to commemorate 25 days to the International Day of Yoga.
Hon’ble Governor of Telangana, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan graced the occasion as the Chief Guest as the Union Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal; the Union Minister of Culture, Tourism & DoNER Shri G Kishan Reddy; the Union Minster of State for Ayush Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai actively participated in making this grand event a great success. Celebrities from the city like Padma Bhushan awardee & noted Badminton player & coach Pullela Gopichand; cine actors Srileela, Vishwak Sen, Krishan Chaitanya among other dignitaries were also witness to the electrifying atmosphere here today. Dr Ishwar V Basavaraddi, Director, MDNIY conducted the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) as thousands performed Yoga in a spiritually uplifting atmosphere.
Speaking on the occasion, the Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said that this is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to celebrate Yoga as a festival of happiness, festival of health. She urge everyone to embrace yoga. She further said that Yoga will make you happy, yoga will make you healthy, yoga will make you beautiful.”
Addressing the gathering, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “My heart is filled with joy to see massive participation in the Yoga Mahotsav by the people celebrating the cause of good health through Yoga. As a true sign of India’s glorious heritage, Yoga received an unprecedented boost when the world started celebrating Yoga every year on 21 June. Yoga has continued to reach more and more people around the world and has benefited all for their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Yoga has surpassed all divisions of caste, creed, gender, religion and nationalities. In the whole world, people of all ages have embraced it for their benefit. The theme of IDY for this year is quite apt — Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam. It perfectly echoes the mood, spirit and acceptance of Yoga at national and global levels. From villagers to city dwellers, from students to home makers to corporate employees – all are embracing Yoga to remain healthy both physically as well as mentally. The untiring efforts of our charismatic Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi jihave resulted in ever increasing impact of Yoga and its acceptance by the world community. Today, the whole world is accepting Yoga as an unfailing vehicle of holistic health and well-being.”
Highlighting the novelties in the celebration of this year’s IDY, Shri Sonowal added that these novelties would be on international, national and local levels.
He informed, “On the International level, an Ocean Ring of Yoga will be created on June 21st when with the help of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Yoga demonstrations at many ports, on many ships will take place and many friendly countries will also join hands in this exercise. Similarly, Yoga demonstrations will also take place from Arctic to Antarctica— countries falling on or near the Prime Meridian line will join the Yoga demonstration. The flight Decks of INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya will showcase Yoga demonstration in synergy. Under Yog Bharatmala. Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard and Border Road Organisation will join hands for Yoga demonstration at borders, coasts and Islands to form a Yog Bharatmala. Yoga will also happen on North and South Pole regions. Himadri — the Indian Research Base in Svalbard, Arctic as well as Bharati — the third Indian Research Base in Antarctica. At the local level, Panchayats, Anganwadis, Asha/ANM will be involved in Yoga demonstrations. Health and Wellness centres of both Health and Ayush Ministries, which are more than 1.5 lakh in the country and all the Amrit Sarovars (around 50 thousand) will have Yoga demonstrations. This year we will witness ‘Har Aangan Yog’ is going to happen in true spirit.”
Speaking on the occasion Shri G Kishan Reddy said, “Yoga is a wonderful gift of India’s rich heritage to empower humanity to remain hale & hearty. As all of us have congregated here, the massive turnout by all of you has affirmed people’s outpour of love for Yoga. This wonder of India’s culture was rejuvenated under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji as it has now become a global movement towards living healthy. In today’s world, the role of Yoga in keeping one calm and focussed is immense. We must all embrace Yoga and keep doing it regularly thereby celebrating it always. Let us make this event a grand success as we move on to celebrate International Day of Yoga.”
In his welcome address, Dr Munjpara Mahendra said, “International Day of Yoga is now well known throughout the world. Thanks to the untiring and visionary approach of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the ancient science of Yoga is now fast becoming part and parcel of wellness journey of almost all nations in the world. This 25 Day Countdown is an indication that IDY 2023 is just round the corner and I congratulate all of you again to be part of such an important event. I appeal to all to keep this torch alight.”
The event was also attended by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush; Joint Secretary, Kavita Garg, Ministry of Ayush among other senior officials of union government and state government of Telangana. The event was also attended by Table Tennis player Naina Jaiswal, actress Eesha Rebba, G Sridhar Rao of Patanjali Yoga Peeth, Nandanam Krupakar, Joint Secretary, National Yogasana Sports Federation among other dignitaries and guests.
One cannot imagine Indian culture and heritage without the presence of Yoga. Tracing its root in ancient India, Yoga is known as an art of attaining spiritual and mental peace.
Yoga has evolved over the course of time and is considered an effective means of maintaining physical, spiritual, and mental wellbeing. The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to unite’. Every Yogic mudra focuses on spiritual alignment between the mind and body, for attaining inner peace.
A brief history of Yoga in India
Yoga traces down its history thousands of years ago in India, early traces were found in the Pre-Vedic period (2700 B.C.). Yoga developed prominently between 500 BC-800 A.D. and has evolved since then. Sage Maharshi Patanjali codified the existing Yoga practices that had been in practice, and which are now performed worldwide. Today in contemporary times, Yoga is a means to preserve and maintain health. It has helped individuals with their well-being, from generation to generation.
Yoga and Indian Culture
Yoga has a presence in the folk traditions, Vedic, and Upanishadic heritage of India. Yoga tends to the body, mind, emotions, and energy and follows four major oaths namely: Karma Yoga focused on the body; Bhakti Yoga focused on emotions; Gyana Yoga, which focused on intellect; and Kriya Yoga, which focused on energy.
In olden times, Yoga education was imparted by gurus in ashrams. In today’s time, several Yoga institutes and colleges are providing lessons on Yoga across India.
India is referred to as the land of Yoga and is continuing to take initiative for promoting the importance of Yoga education. The United Nations General Assembly honored the suggestion of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and declared ‘21st June’ as the International Day of Yoga. This aims to make people aware of the significance of Yoga and the positive changes it can yield in everyday life.
The International Day of Yoga in India is celebrated every year since 2015 with distinct themes such as ‘Yoga for Harmony and Peace’, ‘Connect the Youth’, ‘Yoga for Health, and Yoga at Home’ reflecting the emergence of Yoga as a path for maintaining well-being.
The government aims to equip more and more people with the knowledge of Yoga, preserve Yogic heritage, and introduce it to future generations. Yoga has become a part of the curriculum in schools across the country. The Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH, has created eight Yoga outpatient clinics in Delhi and Haryana Government hospitals.
Summing it up
At a time when the world is facing the wrath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yoga can have positive effects on the mind and physical well-being of individuals. Increasing the involvement of youth in Yoga can yield a generation of Yoga instructors, learners, and promoters who can be the future flag bearers of Yogic culture and heritage.
Many modern-day scientists see themselves as the first to create all the technological advancements we use today. Yet many of the so-called discoveries are nothing more than re-inventions created by examining the knowledge of the ancients. Many things related to science and invention have their origins in the thoughts and imagination of the sages of Ancient India. Indian culture has evolved over the ages by India’s ancient Rishis, who at the banks of its holy rivers had ‘discovered’ the Vedic literature – the very foundation of Indian civilization. The term ‘Rishi’ originally denoted the composers and singers of Vedic hymns. However, the Rishi is also a ‘sage’ to whom the Gods revealed the Vedas (knowledge of the eternal truths about the Creator, His creation and means to preserve it).Some lost works of science by Indian sages are-
Acharya Sushruta – Father of Surgery
Acharya Sushruta was a great Indian Physician and was known to be as the Father of Surgery or Father of Plastic Surgery. The Sushruta Samhita is one of the most important survived ancient texts on medicine and it is considered a foundational text of Ayurveda. He was the world’s first surgeon who performed complicated surgeries 2600 years ago.The Sushruta Samhita has 184 chapters containing descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparation based on animal sources. It describes thoroughly the surgical techniques of making incisions, extractions of foreign body or particles, how to probe, excisions, tooth extraction, how to remove prostate gland, dilation of Urethral stricture, vesicolithotomy, hernia surgery, how to do C-section (Caesarian for baby delivery), laparotomy, management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principle of fracture management. He also classified the eye diseases including cataract surgery.It is interesting to note that when surgery was not even heard and performed by the other parts of the world, here Sushruta was performing Rhinoplasty and many other challenging operations.
Panini – Father of Linguistics
Panini was an ancient Sanskrit philologist, grammarian and a received scholar in ancient India. He is considered as First Descriptive Linguist and is known as the Father of Linguistics. He is well known for his text Astadhyayi, a Sutra on Sanskrit grammar. He analyzed the noun compounds which is still been followed in the theories of the Indian language. Panini’s comprehensive and scientific theory on grammar is conventionally taken to mark the start of Classical Sanskrit.The Astadhyayi is the oldest linguistic and grammar text of any language and of Sanskrit surviving in its entity. His rules have a reputation for perfection – he described the Sanskrit morphology completely. Panini made use of technical metalanguage consisting of syntax, morphology and Lexicon. This metalanguage is organized according to a series of Meta – rules, some of which are explicitly stated while others can be deduced.The Astadhyayi consists of 3,959 sutras in eight chapters. This text attracted many of the ancient authors to upgrade their text in terms of Language.
Acharya Nagarjuna – Master of Chemical Science
Nagarjuna was a great Indian metallurgist and alchemistHe did his research for around 12 years in the field of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like “Ras Ratnakar”, “Rashrudaya” and “Rasebdramangal” are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. He also discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. He did his experiments especially on mercury. He distinguished between the metals and the sub metals and also between solvents and soluble. He stated that Mercury could dissolve all metals. He also invented the processes of “Distillation” and “Calcinations”. He was the first person in the planet to use a Mercury as medicine. He found five types of mercury: red and grey were good; yellow, white or multi colored had so much of bad qualities and this should use as a medicine after several treatments.Alchemist or today what we called as Chemist was the Gifts for Nagarjuna. He made several discoveries which was the path to the other discovers to lead in this field.
Baudhayana – Discovered Pythagoras Theorem
Baudhayana was a great Mathematician, who was also called a priest. He is the author of the Sulba Sutra which contained several important mathematical results. He discovered the several concepts in mathematics which was later rediscovered by the other scientist in the western world. The value of the pie was discovered by him. Today all know how to use the pie and where to use (calculating the area and the circumference of a circle). He also discovered Pythagoras Theorem in Sulba Sutra. He provided how to find a circle whose area is the same as that of a square. The other theorems includes the diagonals of rectangle bisect with each other, diagonals of rhombus bisect at right angles, area of square formed by joining the mid points of a square is half of original.The mathematics given in the Sulba Sutras is there to enable the accurate construction of altars needed for sacrifices. It is clear from the writing that Baudhayana must have been a skilled craftsman. He was a great Practitioner.
Acharya Aryabhata – Motions of the Solar System
Acharya Aryabhata was the first mathematician astronomer from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy and is not an unknown name. His major work on Aryabhatiya was very successful. It is extensively referred in the Indian mathematical literature and has been survived to modern times.
Acharya Aryabhata correctly stated that the earth rotates about its axis dailyr. He also stated that the motion of the stars are being observed just because the earth is rotating. He was also succeeded in explaining the geocentric model of the Solar System. The positions and periods of the planet was calculated relative to uniformly moving points. He stated that the Mercury and Venus move around the earth at the same speed as of the sun. He was also succeeded in explaining eclipses in terms of shadows cast by and falling on earth. He also mentioned Units of Time or the Sidereal rotation that earth takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 second to complete one revolution and the sidereal year has 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds which in turn adds an extra one day every after four years which is called a leap year.Calendric calculation which was devised by him is still being used in India for Practical purposes for fixing the Hindu calendar. India’s first satellite Aryabhata and the lunar crater Aryabhata are both named in his honor.
Maharishi Bharadwaj –Invention of the First Airplane of Earth
In 1875, the Vymaanika Shaastra, a 4th Century BC text written by Sage Bharadwaj was discovered in a temple in India. The book greatly deals with the operation of ancient vimanas and included information on steering, precautions for long flights, protection of the airships from storms and lightning and how to switch the drive of solar energy or some other form of energy.
One of the chapter will reveal the secrets of constructing aeroplanes that cannot be broken or cut, that is indestructible, that is fire resistant. It also deals with the secret of making planes motionless and invisible. It also describes how to defeat the enemy planes etc. as per the Sage Bharadwaj the vimanas were classifies as per the Yugas. During the period of Krita Yuga, Dharma was establishes firmly. The pushpak Vimana which was used by Ravan was an Aerial vehicle. He used this vehicle to kidnap Sita from jungle and took him to his Kingdom Srilanka. Ramayana was during the Treta Yug in which the Vimanas were highly discovered. During this period “Laghima” gave them the power to lighten their vehicle do they can travel freely in the air.In present Kaliyuga both Mantra and Tantra Shakti are almost vanished from the earth and so the ability to control vehicle has also been gone. Today the artificial vehicles are built which is called as Kritaka Vimanas.
Many modern-day scientists see themselves as the first to create all the technological advancements we use today. Yet many of the so-called discoveries are nothing more than re-inventions created by examining the knowledge of the ancients. Many things related to science and invention have their origins in the thoughts and imagination of the sages of Ancient India. Indian culture has evolved over the ages by India’s ancient Rishis, who at the banks of its holy rivers had ‘discovered’ the Vedic literature – the very foundation of Indian civilization. The term ‘Rishi’ originally denoted the composers and singers of Vedic hymns. However, the Rishi is also a ‘sage’ to whom the Gods revealed the Vedas (knowledge of the eternal truths about the Creator, His creation and means to preserve it).Some lost works of science by Indian sages are-
Acharya Sushruta – Father of Surgery
Acharya Sushruta was a great Indian Physician and was known to be as the Father of Surgery or Father of Plastic Surgery. The Sushruta Samhita is one of the most important survived ancient texts on medicine and it is considered a foundational text of Ayurveda. He was the world’s first surgeon who performed complicated surgeries 2600 years ago.The Sushruta Samhita has 184 chapters containing descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparation based on animal sources. It describes thoroughly the surgical techniques of making incisions, extractions of foreign body or particles, how to probe, excisions, tooth extraction, how to remove prostate gland, dilation of Urethral stricture, vesicolithotomy, hernia surgery, how to do C-section (Caesarian for baby delivery), laparotomy, management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principle of fracture management. He also classified the eye diseases including cataract surgery.It is interesting to note that when surgery was not even heard and performed by the other parts of the world, here Sushruta was performing Rhinoplasty and many other challenging operations.
Panini – Father of Linguistics
Panini was an ancient Sanskrit philologist, grammarian and a received scholar in ancient India. He is considered as First Descriptive Linguist and is known as the Father of Linguistics. He is well known for his text Astadhyayi, a Sutra on Sanskrit grammar. He analyzed the noun compounds which is still been followed in the theories of the Indian language. Panini’s comprehensive and scientific theory on grammar is conventionally taken to mark the start of Classical Sanskrit.The Astadhyayi is the oldest linguistic and grammar text of any language and of Sanskrit surviving in its entity. His rules have a reputation for perfection – he described the Sanskrit morphology completely. Panini made use of technical metalanguage consisting of syntax, morphology and Lexicon. This metalanguage is organized according to a series of Meta – rules, some of which are explicitly stated while others can be deduced.The Astadhyayi consists of 3,959 sutras in eight chapters. This text attracted many of the ancient authors to upgrade their text in terms of Language.
Acharya Nagarjuna – Master of Chemical Science
Nagarjuna was a great Indian metallurgist and alchemistHe did his research for around 12 years in the field of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like “Ras Ratnakar”, “Rashrudaya” and “Rasebdramangal” are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. He also discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. He did his experiments especially on mercury. He distinguished between the metals and the sub metals and also between solvents and soluble. He stated that Mercury could dissolve all metals. He also invented the processes of “Distillation” and “Calcinations”. He was the first person in the planet to use a Mercury as medicine. He found five types of mercury: red and grey were good; yellow, white or multi colored had so much of bad qualities and this should use as a medicine after several treatments.Alchemist or today what we called as Chemist was the Gifts for Nagarjuna. He made several discoveries which was the path to the other discovers to lead in this field.
Baudhayana – Discovered Pythagoras Theorem
Baudhayana was a great Mathematician, who was also called a priest. He is the author of the Sulba Sutra which contained several important mathematical results. He discovered the several concepts in mathematics which was later rediscovered by the other scientist in the western world. The value of the pie was discovered by him. Today all know how to use the pie and where to use (calculating the area and the circumference of a circle). He also discovered Pythagoras Theorem in Sulba Sutra. He provided how to find a circle whose area is the same as that of a square. The other theorems includes the diagonals of rectangle bisect with each other, diagonals of rhombus bisect at right angles, area of square formed by joining the mid points of a square is half of original.The mathematics given in the Sulba Sutras is there to enable the accurate construction of altars needed for sacrifices. It is clear from the writing that Baudhayana must have been a skilled craftsman. He was a great Practitioner.
Acharya Aryabhata – Motions of the Solar System
Acharya Aryabhata was the first mathematician astronomer from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy and is not an unknown name. His major work on Aryabhatiya was very successful. It is extensively referred in the Indian mathematical literature and has been survived to modern times.
Acharya Aryabhata correctly stated that the earth rotates about its axis dailyr. He also stated that the motion of the stars are being observed just because the earth is rotating. He was also succeeded in explaining the geocentric model of the Solar System. The positions and periods of the planet was calculated relative to uniformly moving points. He stated that the Mercury and Venus move around the earth at the same speed as of the sun. He was also succeeded in explaining eclipses in terms of shadows cast by and falling on earth. He also mentioned Units of Time or the Sidereal rotation that earth takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 second to complete one revolution and the sidereal year has 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds which in turn adds an extra one day every after four years which is called a leap year.Calendric calculation which was devised by him is still being used in India for Practical purposes for fixing the Hindu calendar. India’s first satellite Aryabhata and the lunar crater Aryabhata are both named in his honor.
Maharishi Bharadwaj –Invention of the First Airplane of Earth
In 1875, the Vymaanika Shaastra, a 4th Century BC text written by Sage Bharadwaj was discovered in a temple in India. The book greatly deals with the operation of ancient vimanas and included information on steering, precautions for long flights, protection of the airships from storms and lightning and how to switch the drive of solar energy or some other form of energy.
One of the chapter will reveal the secrets of constructing aeroplanes that cannot be broken or cut, that is indestructible, that is fire resistant. It also deals with the secret of making planes motionless and invisible. It also describes how to defeat the enemy planes etc. as per the Sage Bharadwaj the vimanas were classifies as per the Yugas. During the period of Krita Yuga, Dharma was establishes firmly. The pushpak Vimana which was used by Ravan was an Aerial vehicle. He used this vehicle to kidnap Sita from jungle and took him to his Kingdom Srilanka. Ramayana was during the Treta Yug in which the Vimanas were highly discovered. During this period “Laghima” gave them the power to lighten their vehicle do they can travel freely in the air.In present Kaliyuga both Mantra and Tantra Shakti are almost vanished from the earth and so the ability to control vehicle has also been gone. Today the artificial vehicles are built which is called as Kritaka Vimanas.
Yogasana has its roots in ancient India. The Rig Veda, a sacred book for the Indian Hindu community, mentioned the word Yoga, for the very first time, around 5,000 years ago. The word was coined from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, which means to join or to unite. Yoga is among the six schools of philosophy of Hinduism and is also a major part of Buddhism. The practice of Yoga is considered as a subtle harmony between the mind and the body. This science was developed by the ancient sages to overcome all kinds of sufferings and attain Moksha (liberation). The Hindu God Shiva, is called as the ‘Adiyogi’ for being the first preacher of Yoga. He was the supreme one to spread the knowledge of the bodily art form among the saints, who later took it across various places and people. Later on, the Brahmanic scholars, documented these practices in the Upanishads (Indian Sacred Literature). The westerners believed Yoga to be postured based physical activity which helps relieve stress. Yoga is also classified by different religions, into different forms such as Classical Yoga, Advaita Vedanta, Buddhist Yoga, Jain Yoga, Tantric Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, etc.
Practice Of Yogasanas is extremely beneficial in several ways :
Yoga does help in attaining a sufficient level of flexibility. In the beginning, one may feel a pull in their hamstrings or tendons. But gradually, over hours of dedicated practice, one can attain flexibility, which is essential for a good posture.
Yoga helps in maintaining a stable heart rate. Practice of yoga daily, improves cardiovascular functioning. People who are engaged into Pranayama (breathing exercise) on a regular basis are able to perform several activities even with a lesser amount of oxygen supply.
Yoga helps one to calm the mind and relax the senses. Thus, a calmness in mind, in turn helps in better concentration. This assists in improvement of the I.Q levels and helps maintain a steady focus.
Yoga along with breathing techniques such as Ocean Breathing can help cure Insomnia. It can help a person to fall asleep quicker than usual, sleep for a longer duration and feel relaxed after waking up.
Yoga is also beneficial for boosting one’s self esteem and confidence. It trains a person to be more patient, maintain perseverance and gives the strength to work tiredlessly towards one’s goal.
Yoga tends to make people happier. According to various reports, even a single class can begin to change your brain chemistry. The increased blood flow in the body, helps keep Cortisol (a stress hormone) at bay. Thus, all of this adds up to making a person happy.
Yoga can be termed as a medicine that can cure nearly every human problem. Lifelong commitment to Yoga can improve mental and physical well being. The Bhagvad Gita states, “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” Imparting knowledge about Yoga, shall begin from the foundation years of children, to inculcate lifelong values of discipline and endurance in them.
Yoga an ancient Indian practice of balancing your body and mind. This is the actual modern way of living as in the stressful life we have forgot in the mean essence of life. Yoga helps us to be fit mentally as well as physically.
Now the whole world has realised the power of yoga. Even the UN has announced 21st june as the international yoga day. Now the whole world is doing yoga and are actually paralyzing the benefits of it.
It is scientifically proven that doing yoga helps you to calm your blood pressure, anxiety, stress and is capable of curing any diseases if done in right manner. It makes your body more flexible and yoga is actually a way of living.
It is really proud moment for India as an Indian ancient practice is now valued in the whole world and is given the Prestige which it deserves. One of the best thing of doing yoga is that it doesn’t have any side effect. Anyone can do it it doesn’t need any prior fitness or anything you can start with simple yoga.
Just if you introduce your car in your daily routine even for 15 minutes it will really give good benefits to your health which you will realise. Yoga has actually become a modern science. So if you are doing yoga please do it on a regular basis and if you are not doing your please start doing it as it has really very good effects on your mental as well as Physical health.
The practice of yoga and even every pose related to it can be very difficult if one does it with the whole control of huff and puffs of breath in and out. Even the great yogis in the body of the human are not able to fully control their body or emotion or attachment with the world, as to be attached with everyone around you yet not getting in the trap of this Maya seems next to impossible to us humans but there was someone who set an example to teach us with the event of his life that even us human with all the ups and downs of the life can finally achieve the stage where we won’t be needing oxygen anymore to detoxify the carbon from it. Yes, the great Lord Krishna is also known as Yogeswara, but how even in the form of human was he able to attain such a peaceful state of the mind and body’s attainment?
To know how and why let’s go on with me on this ride.
Whole Incarnation
As we have read about the incarnation of Lord Vishnu on earth to protect us and serve us from all the evil of every four cycles of Kaal we know that Lord Vishu has appeared in a different form every time but Lord Krishna is the only incarnation who is considered as the whole Incarnation as he was born with all the 16 kalae and that is why he is considered as the whole form.
Being the complete incarnation Krishna used to be always in a blissful state where he was far beyond anything related to this world that can ever disturb the balanced and bliss of the enlighted form one can ever achieve.
He attained that form not just because he was the whole incarnation but also he taught us how even one can go to that form by trying and implementing the principles he used in his life as much as possible even in this form and time.
The Road
The teaching of Krishna to attain this blissful state of being the one in control of your mind and emotion can be achieved from The Gita, where he taught many great lessons of life to Arjun.
The road to this Yogesawara form in this Kalyug can be hard to achieve even if one ought to follow every step with the most dedication, so for this only we have this difficult path narrow down in just three-step of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Gyan Yoga.
Karma Yoga- This is something which every one of us does every day we just have to make sure that whatever we are doing is with pure intention and not to cheat and hurt others.
Bhakti Yoga- Whenever we hear of Bhakti what we think is we have to perform certain rituals and we are done but it’s entirely different from this. Bhakti means the higher level of dedicating one’s life to serve the one we believe in and not performing rituals and offering expensive things.
Gyan Yoga- Gyan is something which can’t just come from reading and writing the Gyan which we are mentioning here is far much than knowing many things related to this world.
You may have heard the expression “Incredible India” commonly however the genuine significance behind this expression can fascinate you. Martin Luther King, Jr said that “To different nations, I might go as a tourist, however to India, I come as a pilgrim.” What is the genuine article that made our nation so incredible ? Life in India can be upbeat, intense, beautiful, distressing, tumultuous however never exhausting.
India really sets an illustration of “Unity in diversity”. It’s practically difficult to track down some other country with as much variety as India. Every Indian state can be considered as another country since when you go there language changes, garments changes, food changes and way of life changes. Despite that we all have same thoughts and we live with each other peacefully.
Not only that but people of different religions also live in India. That is the reason we have such countless celebrations which we praise all together. “Atithi Devo Bhava” which implies our guests are God to us. Indian food is overall mainstream you can’t get enough of it. Indian markets are open for both richer as well as poorer. Variety isn’t just among individuals yet additionally in climate. Assuming you need to see the warm places then, at that point deserts of Rajasthan can draw you in. However, assuming you need to see excellence of mountains you are generally welcome in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir. Also there are numerous vacationer places in India which incorporate posts, sanctuaries, landmarks and some more.
India is the land of Yoga. Yoga assists one with being truly and intellectually fit. It assists you with expanding your focus, give alleviation while having a pressure entire day. Subsequently, these all things demonstrate that why India is great. On this 75th Independence Day let us all make a promise to serve our country till death and endeavor to make India “The Best Nation in the World”. We are extremely fateful to be born in this Incredible Nation.
Before we get into the benefits of Yoga, it is essential to understand what exactly Yoga really is. Yoga is not a religion, it’s a way of living that aims towards a healthy mind in a healthy body. Man is a physical, mental and spiritual being; Yoga helps in developing the balance between all the three as stated in Ayurveda in India. Other forms of exercise, like aerobics, only assure physical well being. These exercises have very little to do with the improvement of spiritual or astral body.
Yoga as a practice has innumerable benefits that positively affect an individual both physically and mentally. During this ongoing coronavirus pandemic, when we are all bound to live a restricted life under the constant fear of infection risks, it is natural for anyone to develop anxiety. The continuous flow of negative news, the inadequacy of daily resources, everything is adding to this growing anxiety and depression. Being confined at home for such long periods of time, can be mentally challenging for us. When our mind is flooded with the uncertainty of the future, we often experience sleepless nights causing fatigue. Many of us are unable to relax our mind during this time thereby increasing the stress on our minds.
Some of the advantages of yoga are listed below:
Yoga increases your flexibility.This is why many people start yoga, and it’s certainly a great benefit of yoga practice. Yoga postures and sequences help to increase the body’s range of motion. The mindful approach of yoga helps to ensure that stretching is done safely, allowing the nervous system to release the muscles into gentle, effective stretches. This reduces the risk of injuring ligaments and tendons, which can occur through more aggressive approaches to flexibility training. Releasing tension in the muscles can also help them to relax and let go, helping your body to open up more.
Yoga helps you to build strength. Although many people overlook this one, seeing only yoga’s benefits for flexibility, yoga is actually a fantastic strengthening practice.. Yoga helps to strengthen the muscles that support the body’s weight, leading to functional strength. It is also fantastic for building core strength. This improves athletic performance and your functionality in everyday life, while keeping you safe from injury.
Yoga helps to keep your joints healthy. Yoga will strengthen the muscles around the joints, helping to stabilise them. By moving the joints in their full range of motion, yoga can help to promote better joint health. The mobilisation of the joints improves the flow of synovial fluid, which lubricates them, allowing for smooth and healthy movement of the bones. Synovial fluid also delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients to the joint cartilage, helping to restore it and keep it healthy. Yoga can even help those with more serious joint problems such as arthritis, improving physical function and reducing pain.
Yoga reduces stress. Many people begin yoga to improve their flexibility, but they keep coming back because they find it makes them feel so much better. The focus, centring and breathing of yoga all help to reduce stress and can be the ideal antidote to a hectic modern lifestyle. In part this is another wonderful benefit of the mindful aspect of yoga. It is also due to the positive impact of increasing activity levels and exercise, along with the relaxation and reduction of physical tension that yoga brings. Yoga can leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed, physically, mentally and energetically.
Over the last few decades, there has been an upsurge in the prevalence of yoga. Medical professionals and celebrities are also adopting and recommending the regular practice of yoga due its various benefits. While some regard yoga as simply one more prevailing fashion and associate it with the new age mysticism, others vouch for how astonishing this form of exercise feels. What they don’t understand is that what they see as simply just another form of exercise will profit them in ways they never envisioned.
Before we get into the benefits of Yoga, it is essential to understand what exactly Yoga really is. Yoga is not a religion, it’s a way of living that aims towards a healthy mind in a healthy body. Man is a physical, mental and spiritual being; Yoga helps in developing the balance between all the three as stated in Ayurveda in India. Other forms of exercise, like aerobics, only assure physical wellbeing. These exercises have very little to do with the improvement of spiritual or astral body.
Yoga is not just about bending or twisting the body and holding the breath. It is a technique to bring you into a state where you see and experience reality simply the way it is. If you enable your energies to become exuberant and ecstatic, your sensory body expands. This enables you to experience the whole universe as a part of yourself, making everything one, this is the union that yoga creates.
The founder of Yoga, Patanjali stated, “Sthiram sukham asanam.” It implies that a posture that appears to be firm and agreeable is your asana. You may be astounded to know that an asana is just a preliminary step into the act of yoga. It is a way that encourages you to achieve the greater good. Yoga focusses on idealizing concordance between your mind, body, and soul. When you adjust yourself so everything functions brilliantly within you, you will draw out the best of your capabilities.
Importance of Yoga
The perfect unison can be achieved through Hatha Yoga and its various branches (Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Yin Yoga, Kundalini Yoga), depending on what you like and the problems you are looking to tackle through the practice.
Some of the Advantages of Yoga are as follows: Improves brain function Lower stress levels Alters gene expression Increases flexibility Lowers blood pressure Improves lung capacity Relieves anxiety Relieves chronic back pain Lowers blood sugar in diabetics Improves sense of balance Stronger bones Healthy weight Lowers risk of heart diseases Yoga as a practice has innumerable benefits that positively affects an individual both physically and mentally. Whether it is reducing your blood pressure or raising your pain tolerance, listed below are a few things that yoga works on:
Enhanced Circulation: Yoga improves your blood circulation. This means better transportation of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Improved blood flow also indicates healthier organs and glowing skin. Improves Posture: Yoga teaches how to control and how to balance. With regular practice, your body will automatically assume the right stance. You will look both confident and healthy. Uplifts your mood: Practicing yoga on regular basis uplifts your mood instantly as it leaves your body with refreshing energy. Lowered Blood Pressure: Practicing yoga on daily basis enhances the blood circulation in the body. This enables oxygenation in the body due to which there is a significant reduction in the blood pressure as the body calms down. Keeps Premature Aging at Bay: Why not age gracefully and not before time? Yes, yoga helps you detox and eliminate toxins and free radicals. This, apart from other benefits, helps delay aging too. Yoga also relives stress which is yet another factor that beats aging. Reduces Stress: When you are on your yoga mat, you focus on the practice. This means that all your focus is concentrated on the matter at hand, and your mind slowly drains out the stress and troubles that are plaguing it. A Drop in The Pulse Rate: Yoga eases the body by reducing the strain. When the body relaxes, the pulse rate decreases. A low pulse rate indicates that your heart is strong enough to pump more blood in a span of fewer beats. Increases Strength: You use the weight of your own body to increase your strength. This is a very bewildering method of strength training. Anxiety Management: A little twisting, bending and controlled breathing helps you overcome anxiety. Better Cardiovascular Endurance: Yoga improves oxygenation in the body and also lowers the heart rate. This results in higher cardiovascular endurance. Lowered Respiratory Rate: Yoga involves a whole lot of controlled breathing. It entails filling your lungs to their full capacity, thus allowing them to work more efficiently. Fights Depression: When you practice yoga, repressed feelings surface. While you may feel sad, the negative energy is released. This helps to combat depression. Teaches Balance: Yoga also focusses at improving balance and also allows you to gain control over your body. Regular practice of yoga will enhance your ability to balance the poses in the class and focus well outside the class. Stimulation of Organs: The internal organs are massaged when you practice yoga, thereby increasing your resistance to diseases. Also, once you are attuned to your body, after years of practice, you will be able to tell instantly if your body doesn’t function properly. Increased Immunity: Yoga and Immunity go hand in hand. As yoga works towards healing and enhancing every cell in the body, your body automatically becomes more immune. Thereby, increasing your immunity. Instills Full Body Awareness: Practicing yoga on regular basis will help you become aware of your own body. You will begin to make subtle movements in order to enhance your alignment. With time, yoga helps you to become comfortable in your own skin. Improvement in Gastrointestinal Health: Practicing yoga regularly activates the digestive system and the other stomach related diseases like indigestion and gas are eliminated. Therefore, gastrointestinal functions improve in both men and women. Read more about indigestion home remedies. Increasing Core Strength: It is essential to understand when your core is strong, your body is strong. Your core holds the weight of your body. It helps in increasing your resistance to injuries and also help you heal better. Yoga works on the core and makes it healthy, flexible and strong. Higher Levels of pain Tolerance: Yoga increases the level of pain tolerance and also works towards reducing chronic pain. Increased Metabolism: Yoga keeps the metabolism in check since a balanced metabolism is essential to achieve ideal weight. Improved Sexuality: Yoga increases your self-confidence and offers complete relaxation and more control. This gives your sexuality a much-needed boost. Renewed Energy: Yoga has the ability to make your mind and body feel rejuvenated. People who perform yoga on daily basis feel energized after a session of yoga.
Improves sleep: Yoga helps you relax your mind completely. It helps you work on unnecessary tensions, thus facilitating better sleep. Integrated Function of the Body: Yoga means unison. When you practice yoga on regular basis, your mind starts to work in union with your body. This enhances movement and grace. Allows- Self Acceptance: Yoga enables self-awareness and betterment of health. Your self-esteem improves, and you become more confident. Builds Self – Control: The controlled movements of yoga teach you how to render that self-control to all the aspects of your life. Brings about a Positive Outlook to Life: Many hormones in the nervous system are stabilized when yoga is practiced on the regular basis. This helps you becomes more positive and you tend to look at life with refreshed and positive perspective. Reducing Hostility: When yoga is performed on the regular basis, the anger is greatly controlled. The breathing and meditation calm the nervous system, thereby decreasing anger and hostility. Reduction in hostility means reduction in blood pressure. This automatically enables a stress free and healthier approach towards life. Better Concentration: Performing yoga every day will eventually result in better concentration and in less than eight weeks of yoga practice, you will find yourself more motivated. Tranquility and Calmness: The breathing and meditation enables you disengage from your thoughts. This helps you calm down. With everyday yoga practice, you will notice how the calmness is no longer just a part of your practice – it becomes a way of life! Yoga transforms your life and broadens your horizons in ways you can never imagine. It is absolutely worth trying!
Yoga poses or asanas are body position which are practiced for the benefit of body and mind. The concept of yoga is not something we are not aware of; our ancestors are practicing it for long time. And now many people realized the importance and benefits of yoga and started to perform. Studies have found that yoga asana benefits people’s body and soul. Also helps to increase flexibility, leads to weigh loss, and enhance mental peace.
Below is the list of yoga asana or poses that can help your body and mind healthy and fit.
1. Sukhasana or Easy Pose
If you wish to practice yoga, you can start with this simple pose as it easy to do and gives you the comfort.
Technique
Sit on mat legs tucked in the opposite thighs. Keep your back straight and both the hands should be placed on the knees and breath in and breath out calmly.
Benefits
People with anxiety, stress and mental illness can practise these to reduce them.
Sukhasana corrects the body posture and straighten chest and spine.
2. Tadasana or Mountain Pose
It is a simple standing pose, which trains you the art of standing straight.
Technique
Stand straight on your feet on a mat, take your arms up near your ears and it should be straight upwards. Then take long breath while doing this take your heels up and put all your weight on toes. Then slowly breath out and put you heels down. Repeat this for 10-15 minutes.
Benefits
Strengthen leg muscles
Helps in increasing the height of children
Eliminates leg pain
Correct body posture
3. Dhanur Asana or Bow Pose
This asana helps to stretch the whole body. Helps to loss weight, improve digestion and blood flow. It is an effective asana in making back flexible.
Technique
Lay down on a mat on your belly. Fold your legs backward. Hold both legs with hand on ankles. Breath long and take your chest up as high as you can. To get the position of bow you need to stretch your body and hold as long as you can. Take back the initial position and repeat this 2-4 times.
Benefits
Helps in making the spine flexible and decreases rigidity
Lessen obesity
Cure stomach-ache
Enhance lung power
Increase breathing process
4. Bhujangasana Or Cobra Stretch
Bhujangasana is also consider as arc corrector and helps spine make more flexible. The bend posture of the asana massages the back muscles, spine, and nerves. It is a great asana for those who have back pain.
Technique
To do this asana you need to lay down on the ground on your belly. Keeping your hand near shoulders. Raise your chest up so that your hand gets straight and stretch your legs while doing this. Hold it of 2-3 minutes and take back the original position.
Benefits
Helps you to get flexible spine
Broaden the chest
Enhances blood flow
Helps to cure obesity
Decreases rigidity in the body and improve lung power.
Many people misunderstand the YOGA considering it with just as a stretching exercise specially those who are unaware of the concept of yoga and its benefits. The importance of yoga asana can only understand when it is done practically and regularly. Yoga lessens mental fatigue and emotional disorder and makes you feel refreshed.
Goodness of yoga on health.
Practicing yoga daily has great emotional and physical impacts. Beside this it helps to grow body strength as well as flexibility. It also aids anxiety, depression, and stress.
Keep on reading to understand the significance of practising yoga daily which are even confirmed by scientist.
Helps to attain peace
Better quality life minus the unnecessary stress that we all wish to attain. Scientific studies have proven that doing continue yoga for three months can actually reduce discharge the stress hormones. Doing meditation with breathing leads to achieve unmatched calmness and peace in your mind.
Assist from anxiety
Managing with anxiety daily can be exhausting. Many people who discovered anxiety disorder in them claimed that how regularly practicing certain yoga poses have diminished the symptoms of anxiety which were difficult to heal. The “Camel Pose” boosts blood circulation in the body which rejuvenate body and mind. “Bridge Pose” calms the mind where as the “Butterfly Pose” frees tension heads.
Improves sleep
Practicing yoga daily relax mind as well as reduces stress which leads to better sleep. It also upgrades sleeping pattern. People who practice yoga daily can see circadian rhythm stabilize.
Boost immunity
Yoga cures and improves every cell of body also helps your body to become more immune. Yoga stimulates lymphatic system which drains out bane. It enhances immunity system to work flawlessly.
Reduces blood pressure
Irregular lifestyle and stress in city life leads to high blood pressure. Hence doing yoga daily reduces high blood pressure. Breathing exercise helps to control blood pressure and eliminate high stress level. Good blood circulation enhances good functioning of heart. Improvement in blood flow increase oxygen level thus lower the blood pressure.
When you should avoid doing yoga.
Doing yoga regularly is considered good for well being however there are some circumstances you should avoid doing yoga :
When you are totally exhausted or feeling ill.
Women must skip doing yoga during their mensuration period.
One should avoid yoga asana when you are suffering from back pain or undergone with any surgery.
As you all know that the origin of the yoga is Ancient India . Yoga is a Sanskrit word , which means UNION . From ancient time to modern time , yoga is an important health benefactor . WHO also have agreed that yoga have a very good effect on human health .Yoga is the best way for self care . It gives benefits to all ages people , from children to old aged person . United Nation had acknowledged 21st June as the “World Yoga Day” .WHO also comes up with a 2018 – 2030 Yoga Practice plan for all the people from every country . Several researches are conducted to know the effectiveness of yoga & expectedly everyone have given positive feedback about it .Yoga enriches the mental & physical health & helps to flourish the spirituality .
Jen
Various types of Yoga : There are some yoga asana are below —- Adho Mukha Shavasanan or Downward-Facing Dog pose ; Adho Mukha Virakhaasana or Yoga Handstand ; Bhadrasana or Cobbler’s pose ;Makarasana or Crocodile pose ;Padmasana or sitting pose(The most common meditational yoga pose) ; Shirshasana or Headstand pose ;Gomukhashasana or cow faces pose ; Dhanurasana or Bow Posture ; Sukhasana or Easy Posture yoga ; Naukasana or Boat Posture & many other yoga are there .
Adho Mukha Shavasanan or Downward-Facing Dog Adho Mukha Virakhaasana or Yoga Handstand Dhanurasana or Bow Posture Padmasana or sitting pose Shirshasana or Headstand pose Bhadrasana or Cobbler’s pose
Yoga Time : There is no particular time for yoga .But there are some asana which have a particular time to conduct ,like Surya asana which should be conducted at dawn when the sun rises . Starting the day with yoga practice give you immense energy & healthy fresh mind to start a work .You can also do yoga for 5 to 20 min when you are exhausted or in sour mood .That will helps you with your tiredness & lift up your mood . Doing weight losing yoga after dinner or, lunch will keep you fit.
Effectiveness of Yoga : 1) ’Downward Dog’ yoga make your body relax from head to toe . 2) ’Tree Pose’ yoga helps you to stabilize .It balances your body & increase flexibility & strength . 3) ‘Cat cow Pose’ helps in back pain & it improve mobility . 4) According to Johnas Hopkin’s review paper on yoga ,yoga is very much effective in Arthritis . 5) ‘Downward Dog Pose’ works for the protection of human heart health . 6) Many researches show that ‘Legs up the wall’ yoga & many other yoga helps in insomnia & let you sleep better . 7) yoga improves mental health & makes you energetic with a bright good mood . 8) ‘Corpse Pose’ or, ‘Ssvasana’ helps in hyper tension & stress relief which improves your mental health . 9) Yoga helps to improve anxiety problems . It also fight against PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) . 10) A research in 2015 showed that , yoga works against chronic inflammation , which prevents the heart problems . 11) Yoga also works effectively for high blood pressure patients . Yoga helps to reduce bad LDL Cholesterols in blood & lowers the high bold pressure . 12)It also works on depression .Yoga lowers the level of Cortisol with & prevents our mind from being depressed. 13) Yoga not only do the above works .It also effective for other body organ or, parts . Yoga also works on our respiratory systems , digestive systems ,Reproductive systems ,Blood circulation ,Mussel growth , Nervous systems etc. Every yoga has its own effectiveness in every parts of our body .So we should practices those yoga which we needs for our benefits .
We all are familiar with Yoga and many of us even practice it on a day-to-day basis. But, do we know what does the word “Yoga” means? And what benefits of Yoga are supported by science? Well, some of us may know and some of us don’t. So, let’s dive into the questions mentioned above, and let’s learn.
The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root “Yuj,” which means ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke or ‘to unite’. It assimilates mediation and poses composed to stimulate relaxation and reduce stress. In simple words, Yoga is an ancient practice that brings our body and mind together.
Practicing Yoga can provide a lot of benefits for both our mental and physical health. Although not all the benefits are supported by science. Mentioned below are some of the many benefits of Yoga that are supported by science:-
I) Improves Flexibility and Balance
In several studies, it has been found that practicing yoga can improve flexibility and balance.
According to a study in 2017, a group of 26 male athletes who undertook Yoga for 10 weeks, had shown greater improvement in their flexibility levels compared to the control group.
II) Could Promote Sleep Quality
Poor sleep quality can cause a lot of trouble for a person. Although it has been found in studies that yoga could improve sleep quality.
In a study, in 2005, 69 old patients were assigned to either practice Yoga, herbal preparation, or be a part of a control group. It has been found that the Yoga group fell asleep faster, slept longer, and felt more rested than the other groups.
III) Can Decrease Stress
As mentioned in the above line Yoga is known for stimulating relaxation and stress.
Many studies have also shown that it decreases the secretion of the primary stress hormone (cortisol).
In an observation, 24 women labeled themselves emotionally distress, when completed a three-month yoga program, showed significantly lower levels of cortisol. They also had a lower level of stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression.
IV) Could Improve Heart Health
The health of your heart is a very essential component of your overall health. And studies have shown that yoga may help in improving heart health and in reducing factors leading to heart disease.
A study has found that participants over 40 years of age who practiced yoga for five years had lower blood pressure and pulse rate than those who didn’t.
V) Improves Life Quality
For many individuals, Yoga has now become an accompaniment to improve the quality of life.
In a study, 135 elders were assigned to either practice Yoga for 6 months, walking, or join a control group. The Yoga group showed improved quality of life as well as mood, and fatigue, compared to other groups.
Though these were only a few benefits of Yoga that are supported by science, you can always go and google more. Science has also accepted the beneficiary of practicing Yoga, then you should too. Just by giving 1hr from your day to Yoga, you can improve both mentally and physically. In the end, it always depends on you.
Eduindex News 
You must be logged in to post a comment.