Take Care Of Body And Mind With Yoga

By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

NEW DELHI, (IANS) – Yoga is not an imposition on you, but it is a discipline that you take on yourself.

Yoga is having a say on the modulations and tendencies of the mind. Where there is a mind, there is conflict. Even if there is none outside, it will create one from within. It starts linking things that are completely unrelated and gets into a swirl of confusion. This is what is called Maya.

Time and mind are connected. When you are happy, you don’t feel the time. And when you’re miserable, every second appears very heavy.

Stress is the product of having too much to do, too little time and no energy to do it.

Yoga has proven to be a blessing for mankind in many ways. Unfortunately, today yoga has come to mean just making your body more elastic. It is considered as gymnastics for good health. Maharishi Patanjali, says the purpose of Yoga is ‘Heyam dhukkha manaagatham,’ that is, to prevent the misery even before it arrives.

Yoga is a cure for diseases, a solution to our problems and a way to elevate our souls too. Our mind remains blissful, our intellect becomes sharper and that is the reason all of us must practice yoga.

Sometimes we do not do yoga out of sheer laziness and make excuses like, not having enough time. Whatever time you can dedicate will certainly prove beneficial for you. Doing yoga will give you more energy, and clarity and release more time for you.

Yoga itself means ‘skill in action.’ It is the skill to live our life; the skill to manage the mind; the skill to be with people; the skill to be in love. It is the union of ourselves with the higher self. Without meditation and pranayama, yoga will just become an exercise.

Yama, Niyama, Pranayama, Asana, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are the eight limbs of Yoga. When we incorporate these eight limbs into our lives, we will notice a fundamental transformation within us.

We can proceed from weakness to strength and from sadness to leading a happy and healthy life. To practice this there is no need for us to belong to a particular sect or religion.

Challenges make you come out of your comfort zone and explore your skills and talents from within. When you are not aware of your potential, it becomes suffering. Challenges are also a way to express your velour, compassion, dynamism and commitment to a greater cause.

This is where yoga comes into play. It builds up your self-confidence, and inner power to see how you can reduce suffering, reduce loneliness and create a sense of belonging in society.

When people go through a lot of suffering and sorrow, you need to bring in more positivity in their lives. Wherever you find negativity inspire them to do yoga. And even if there is positivity in people, encourage them to do yoga so that they retain that positivity.

Practicing Suyanamaskar can enhance the immune system, bringing strength and vitality to the body.

Padmasadhana is a sequence of graceful yogasanas that help the body become supple. The mind becomes lighter, and your soul becomes brighter.

Sukshma yoga relaxation technique is the fastest way to open subtle energy channels, letting the body undergo a deep transformation, inside out.

The sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda go together. This ancient science of herbology takes care of both our physical and mental health.

Having a good sattvik diet as per your constitution is ideal. If you’re eating too much Rajasic and Tamasic diet, it will hamper your yogic growth.

Meditation will not be that effective. Fresh fruits and vegetables, Khichdi are highly recommended for a good ayurvedic detox.

(Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a global spiritual master and humanitarian leader, who founded The Art of Living Foundation, one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven organizations.)