Yoga is the subtle science which brings spiritual harmony between the body and the mind. The origin of yoga is mentioned in the Vedas, and is believed to be more than 5000 years old. Yoga is Bharat’s gift to the world for a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Swami Vivekananda was the first Bharatiya who introduced Yoga to the western world. Though yoga has become a way of living all over the world, thousands of tourists flock to Bharat to learn the ingenuity of Yoga from masters who practice this ancient tradition as a way of life.
Humans today have one goal. Better quality of life. While we yearn and persevere to earn more, live in a bigger house, have better clothes and eat organic healthy food; one forgets to care about their mental health until it’s too late. Every day, we push ourselves in pursuit of the worldly things which burden our mind with stress and tension. Mental health may still be a taboo, but sparing half hour per day for your mind is necessary for an overall healthy life.
Yoga is a Sanskrit word, meaning the joining of the body, mind and soul of an individual into a collective self. Yoga is an age old science with 8 main paths– Yama (moral codes), Niyama (self-discipline), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath practices promoting life force), Pratyahara (sensory transcendence), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), Samadhi (state of bliss).
Yoga was never about physicality. The Vedas put yoga as a way to connect to one’s inner soul to achieve a stillness and awareness of the nature and surroundings. Yoga is an excellent way to improve mental health and anger management. When stressed or angry, a person’s mind goes into a ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. Yoga helps us work with the different natures of mind and hence makes us more psychologically aware. Regular Yoga works with your nervous system and calms you down from inside by attacking anxiety and agitation. Deep breathing slows your system as you enter a relaxed mode. Those who regularly participate in yoga typically interact with the world in calmer and more reasonable ways. Yoga helps you bond with yourself on a spiritual level. It helps you understand your body and mind, making you more grounded. Yoga can help you boost your confidence making you courageous and unafraid of difficult situations. Yogic breathing can stabilize you from your core helping you analyze, understand and decide effectively during stressful times.
Aside from Asanas, Yogic nidra (yogic sleep) can help you incredibly by relaxing you in case of acute anxiety attacks.
Yoga can be helpful in attacking the negativity in you. It can help you ride out waves of emotions with calmness and dignity. If one is too busy to find time for regular yoga, simple breathing in and breathing out at carefully measured intervals may also stop you from feeling overwhelmed.
Yoga is the science which creates a profound sense of unity in oneself. Those you practice yoga can tackle the world in a more composed way and have a ripple effect in people around them. The United Nations named 21st June, International Yoga Day. So stay healthy with your body and your mind. Some say yoga is the cure to the incurable and Make Yoga a part of your daily life.
