The wonder that is Yoga

The world is celebrating the International Yoga Day today. Yoga is an ancient Indian vision of life, originated as one of the schools of Indian philosophy thousands of years ago. The spirituality and the physical components are dovetailed.

The uses of Yoga in stress management and medical treatment are increasingly acknowledged worldwide, though most of its practitioners may not comprehend the spiritual essence of this school of philosophy as the physical exercises gained immense popularity.

As the modern society is increasingly getting complex and troublesome, people are flocking to Yoga for solution and solace. Millions of people across the world experience the magnificent benefits of practising Yoga. It relieves stress. It brings calmness to mind. It develops creativity. It controls emotions. It regulates both the mind and the body. It improves physical and professional efficiency.

There is an increasing volume of evidence to suggest that Yoga can be a much better complementary method for treatment of ailments. Some of the Western countries too have integrated Yoga into mainstream hospitals. India has a long way to go in this regard.

Yoga can be an effective answer to many chronic life style ailments where pharmaceutical solutions fail to yield enduring benefits. At a time when the competitive and commercial world is creating multiple physical and psychological disorders, the practice of Yoga is a sure remedy.

Yoga may be embedded into religion. But Yoga is not the result of belief alone. It is the experience of oneself. Even research is substantiating the positive impact of Yoga on mind and body. One can agree or disagree with the religion that propounded it. But the universal benefits of the wisdom cannot be brushed aside.

All that is ancient cannot be dismissed as unscientific. Science is yet to explain many things. Science is yet to find solutions to many problems confronted by mankind. Science should not derail into a dogma. The need of the hour is to undertake more and more research to provide for much more clinical and empirical evidence of the magic effects of Yoga. Integrating it with conventional medicine will help a lot.

It’s wrong to exaggerate even the benefits of Yoga. No school of medicine can provide cure for all ailments. No philosophy alone can explain the world in totality. No religion can ensure everyone believes it. Let the noble thoughts come to us from every side. Yoga is India’s noble gift to mankind.

Every Indian feels proud of this great legacy. But everyone who practises it irrespective of his or her religion and nationality will benefit from it. Therefore, a sectarian tirade on Yoga is absurd. A dogmatic view of Yoga is uncalled for.

Yoga is an answer to the problems of the degeneration of physical and mental health which the world is facing today. Hope this ancient vision of life becomes the modern mission of human civilisation. Let this wonderful gift of civilisation be not imprisoned by bigotry, dogmatism, sectarianism or philosophical myopia of any kind.