Understanding Yoga — The Science of Holistic Living

It is not uncommon today to observe people with a mat, heading to a center for practicing Yoga & Meditation. Just walking down the road, I see several studios or centers teaching Yoga that have mushroomed in recent times.?

It’s extremely refreshing to see so many people pursuing it and gladly attempting to make it a part of their lifestyle. Despite so many pursuers and teachers, the knowledge on the subject is still very limited. In fact, during my research, I was surprised to see many people draw inspiration on the subject from their western counterparts, while Yoga originated in Ancient India.

PAST

Origin:

Let’s start with the origin of the term “Yoga”. The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ that means to join or to unite. True to its meaning, Yoga embodies the union of physical, mental & spiritual practices. While there are no written records as to when Yoga was started, it is reportedly to have originated more than 5,000 years ago in Ancient India.

Historic view:

You must have heard about?Adiyogi. Adiyogi is another name of Lord Shiva, who is believed to be the first Yogi or Yogic Guru. Adiyogi shared his knowledge to 7 sages (Saptarishi) and through the sages, knowledge was further transferred over the centuries to mankind. Roots of the Yoga science can be traced back through the various sculptures, traditions, cultures, seals of Indus Valley Civilization. Yoga has been described in several ways in Indian Philosophical, religious texts such as?Bhagawat Gita, The Mahabharata or The Ramayana, The Vedas, The Upanishadas or The Puranaas. Later, Sage Patanjali who is also known as the Father of Yoga, wrote Yoga Sutra to summarize entire practice into eight paths of Yoga. He described 8 different types of Yoga:

1. Yama :?This is described as “moral imperatives” (the “don’ts”)
2. Niyama:?This means “virtuous habits and observances” to practice
3. āsana:?A posture to practice for over a period
4. Pranayama:?Regulating breath
5. Pratyahara:?Awareness on and retracting the sensory experience
6. Dharana:?Holding one’s mind and focus on inner state of mind
7. Dhyana:?Reflecting on whatever Dharana focuses on
8. Samadhi:?Awareness of the present

The history of Yoga is extremely rich and many Yoga-acharyas have dedicated their entire life in teaching and spreading Lessons of Yoga.

PRESENT

International Day of Yoga, International Appeal & UN resolution:

Yoga came into international prominence when the United Nations proclaimed 21st June as the International Day of Yoga by a resolution. International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states. The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.

Significance of the day & what it means:

International Yoga Day is celebrated worldwide on June 21st, but do we know the significance of this day?

The day is Summer Solstice and marks the transition to Dakshinayana. It is also the longest day of the year with the sun rising early and setting late for the northern hemisphere. The Summer Solstice is also considered as an important day in Indian mythology as it is assumed to mark an event that could be considered the start of Yogic science.

Science of Yoga (āsana & Meditation) and how does it work?

In the modern context, the most popular or practiced Yoga form is Hatha Yoga. Yoga is misunderstood to be limited to only Hatha Yoga, while in reality there are various forms of Yoga. For example Vini-yoga is a self-discovery & personal transformational practice; Kundalini Yoga elicits many physical exercises, breathing, chanting, meditation, fasting, sound bath, etc. Likewise, there are many more branches within Yoga that can transform our lives.

Let’s dig a little deep into the most popular one, Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga includes āsana (Body Postures) & Pranayama (Breathing).

1. āsana:

āsana?means a pose. There are 84?āsanas, each one of them have their own healing points.

Scientific reasoning:?Our biological system is made with stress alarms. When our mind or body is in any stress situation it activates the internal fighting mechanism to combat it (releases stress hormones such as cortisol). Stress leads to an increase in epinephrine and nor-epinephrine levels. Thereby we experience different kinds of pain, discomfort, tighten of muscles, narrowing blood vessels, which increases blood pressure etc. As a result, mind re-directs all its energy sources to heal the affected areas. This disturbs the normal functioning of body. If this is occurring more routinely & frequently, then it’s an alarming situation.

Let’s understand better using an example:

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose):?This is a back bending pose to stretch spine and abdominal muscles. The rationale of this āsana is that it stretches the toughed muscles & tissues around bones & joints and ensures proper blood circulation in those areas. The spine gets strong and becomes more flexible. Remember, the spinal cord is one of the most important components of the body and much powerful energy flows through it.

This āsana?stimulates?Manipur Chakra?(Solar Plexus). The solar plexus is a complex system of radiating nerves. It sends and receives signals from the brain and controls various organs near the abdominal cavity. This Chakra is also known as a connector of Mind & Body. Thus, strengthening this area means strengthening the Core of the body functioning.

This āsana is particularly beneficial for people who spend significantly high time in front of the computer as it is very helpful in relaxing the back.

2. Pranayama: There are many meditation techniques and one among them is Pranayama. Prana means “Life energy” and Yama means “Regulating or controlling”. In this, one inhales, exhales, holds one’s breath and pays attention to the flow of breath.

Scientific reasoning:?The mind is connected to several stressors due to our chaotic life. The mind regulates how we breathe. We breathe heavily when we are stressed and slowly when we are calm. Thus, regulating breath is a key component to achieving calmness & stillness. That’s why we do?Pranayama?or other breathing exercise. The reason is simple, we need to undo, what our mind has done in a state of stress. Through many breathing exercises & meditation, we become conscious and only through consciousness we can attain our maximum potential.

In summary, while we all gear up to celebrate?IDY 2022, let's take a moment to feel proud of our Ancient History. Despite being ancient, practices of Yoga have been contemporized to suit modern-day needs. Let’s take the maximum benefit from this Yogic science which has been homegrown and now gaining huge popularity internationally as well.