Combining allopathy, Yoga will yield excellent results

Yoga guru Sharat Arora who was born in 1953 discovered his passion for Yoga in 1978. He went through an intensive full-time training for seven years under Guruji BKS Iyengar at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Institute in Pune and assisted the latter in all levels of Asana classes. However, more significant in his development as a Yoga practitioner and teacher was his involvement in the daily therapy sessions, serving countless patients. His fusion of this experience, with his extensive study of medicine, greatly influenced his continually evolving Yoga technique and sharpened his unique therapy skills. He shares his thoughts with The Hans India on why Yoga is indispensable for a healthy life.

Q. What is your take on Yoga considering growing practitioners of the ancient technique all around the world?

A. Yoga has been practised as a way to grow spiritually. What it has become now is the way to be healthy - a lot of the time flexible and strong. Unfortunately, only a few people are teaching Yoga as a path to spiritual life. Even in government recognised yoga centres, Yoga is taught as a way to physical fitness and chanting of shlokas is combined to add an element of spirituality. What needs to change is some education in what actually Yoga is all about.

Q. Why does allopathic medical professionals need to know about Yoga?

A. Allopathic practitioners treat body symptoms. It would help a great deal if they also understand and learn holistic approach to health by incorporating Yoga as a way of life. The mind plays a big factor in the health of a person. Doctors know it but they don't admit it officially.

The depth will only come when decision makers are open to listening to actual practioners. Till that changes it is not going to take us anywhere.

Indeed if allopathic medical professionals come to understand what Yoga is and actually practice it, It will benefit the public a lot and there are doctors in India and US who are incorporating Yoga in modern medicine. We have had many doctors who have come to us to learn yoga and they have also shared insights from their field of expertise and I believe that both can learn from each other for the betterment of people.

Q. There have been several people who have come for several reasons and they have benefited from Iyenger Yoga, What are the few benefits and what can a person overcome from practising Yoga?

A. Generally we only get the benefits of that what we seek. Some people come to us to find a path because they want to believe in something. People who have physical problems say injuries, old standing imbalances etc they have benefited a great deal within a short time after starting to practice Yoga. However only some people actually understand that they can get rid of the suffering that they live in everyday life - that suffering is a byproduct of their own reality. After continuous practice one learns how to drop that and be free. It is this last type of students who have perseverance and willingness to change things & it is they who stick to Yoga no matter what.

Q. How important is to be flexible to do Yoga?

A. Flexibility is not at all a criteria unless you want to show off. You start your work from where you are and try to understand your body rather than force it into flexibility. If you practise violently you get violence back and this affects how you deal with things in daily life.

Q. Is there any age restriction to join HIYC?

Most of the courses that we have at Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center are for people who have small imbalances. When they have a big imbalance they have to follow a different program. A program that is suitable only for them. So, indeed there is no age restriction. There is only restriction on someone who as they age become more and more incapacitated in many areas. There is no age restriction to practice Yoga but one must be physically willing to practice it .

Q. How does Yoga aids towards mental health?

A. Yogis/seers/rishis found that Yoga and mind are connected. Both body & mind we inherit as well as condition them during our life. In general, when we do Yoga, we do asanas. Asanas help in bringing a balanced body and asanas also help us to energetically understand our current state of mind and body which is nothing but prognosis of our body by oneself. Yoga is not panacea for all ills but it is a way of life so apart from Yoga one also has to incorporate rountine like eating healthy, thinking healthy and following a time cycle every day.

Of course, this is not possible unless you have got a commitment towards how you feel or are willing to look inwards. Only then do they understand the reality and current state and also they would be able to understand the link between Yoga practice and good physical & mental health. A good practice method considers current general trends of thinking and conceives an asana practice to align them.

Q. How does one need to go through the entire process?

A. The process starts with universal rules which are called dharma in Hindu philosophy. One needs to understand this before one does the asana practice. Of course, no one talks about them and emphasises on them enough to make people realise this is the path. The application of dharma in our practice is what makes it spiritual. These rules of alignment with oneself are yama and niyama. They help us in not only bringing about physical and mental balance but also putting it and expressing it in our daily life in all things.

Q. Can you explain the lifestyle changes that Yoga brings in one's life?

A. If the yoga practitioner's goal is healthy practice, of course it brings changes in one's life but in a very small measure. Life changes only come about when one introspects goals within and checks the present status. This status is not aligned with my life. Can I change this!

And the going inwards therefore is the main path that Yoga brings about. Going within introspection, being sensitive, allows the practitioner to actually feel what's going on. Without this there is only superficial changes. 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.