Yoga: Finding heaven on earth

By Sharat Arora

At a time when both physical and mental health is turning unstable, yoga offers a holistic solution. Be it work from home stress, post- covid breathing issues or general health problems, by practising yoga consistently one can find bliss.

Not everyone’s cup

Anyone can learn yoga. Many say flexibility is important for learning yoga. Flexibility is not at all a criteria unless you want to show off. Try to understand your body rather than force it into flexibility. If you practice violently everyday you will have to deal with the side effects. In fact, these days doctors learn yoga as it helps them get a holistic approach to health by incorporating yoga as a way of life. We have had many doctors who have come to us to learn yoga and they have also shared their insights.

Perfecting the art

Generally we only get the benefits of what we seek. People who have physical problems, say injuries and old standing imbalances, have benefited from practising yoga. Life changes only come about when one introspects about goals within and checks the present status. Focusing inwards therefore is the main path that yoga brings about. Introspection and sensitivity allows the practitioner to actually feel what’s going on. Without this any change that one attains is just superficial. I say superficial because even the improvement of the health of the body is pretty superficial because yoga has much deeper benefits if one goes inwards.

Mind and body

Mind and body balance is the key to set life on the right path. Yoga helps us achieve it. The yogis,seers, or rishis had found that yoga and mind are connected. We inherit both body and mind then condition them during our life. When we practice yoga, we practice asanas. Asanas help in bringing a balanced body and also to energetically understand our current state of mind. The body which is nothing but the prognosis of our body by oneself. This is possible only when an individual shows commitment towards what he feels or is willing to look inwards. Only then does he understand the reality and current state. Yoga is not panacea but it is a way of life. Apart from practising yoga one also has to incorporate a healthy routine like eating healthy, thinking right and following a time table every day.

(The author is the founder of Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre).