YOGA: A way of preventive and promotive health

Dr. Anil Kumar Sarma

(ayuranil59@gmail.com)

International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21 to promote the numerous benefits of practising yoga. In 2023, the world will once again come together to commemorate this special day. Let’s delve into the date, history, significance, and theme of International Yoga Day 2023.

While addressing the 69th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi urged the world community to adopt an international day for yoga. “Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being”. It embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action said by our Prime Minister before UN General Assembly.

Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practise that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Today it is practised in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as International Yoga Day by resolution 69/131. June 21, which is the Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world. International Yoga Day aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.

Definition of yoga, according to Patanjali (600BC), “yogaha chittabriti nirodhaha”, that is yoga is the state of cessation of all fluctuations of mental activities. Chitta britti means fluctuations of mind around the world of objects. Patanjali yoga does not mean union but spiritual effort to attain perfection through the control of body, senses and mind and through right discrimination between purusha and prakriti. Bhagbat Gita gives the definition of yoga as a very practical approach and its application in day-to-day life besides achieving karmayoga, gyanyoga and bhaktiyoga. Yoga denotes different senses of higher thinking as mentioned in Bhagbat Gita like detachment from sorrow or pain where mind is restrained by yogic practice. Once intelligence goes beyond the reach of sense, it does not deviate from truth.

Another definition quoted from Bhagbat gita describes yoga as an ability to perform a job with kausala (skill) “yogaha karmasu kausalam”, which may lead to successful completion of work yielding best results. Again, Bhagbat Gita has considered equanimity (samattva) over siddhi or asiddhi of the karma performed without desire of fruit. According to patanjali the astanga yogas are Yama (abstinence),Niyama (observances), Asana (body postures), pranayama (energy control/breathing exercise), Pratyahara (abstraction), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditations), Samadhi (absorption or Trans).The first two yama and niyama are known as ethical practice because they are considered as pre-requisites for further yogic practice. Asana and pranayama are physical practices. Different bodily postures i.e., yogic practices are capable of bringing about stability of body and mind. On the other hand, pranayama is the breathing exercise. Pratyahara indicates dissociation of one’s consciousness (withdrawal) from sense organs which connects with the external objects, that’s why it is sensorial practices. Dharana indicates broad based field of attention inside body and mind also understood as concentration. Dhyana (meditation) is form of contemplation (focused attention inside the body and mind) and Samadhi is the deepest form of meditation where body and mind integrate to an infinite and body achieve total tranquilly. Hence, the later three of astanga yoga are known as meditative practices.

According to the upanisada tradition yoga has been considered as the actual state of self-realisation as well as the spiritual means or method which could be used to achieve a state of self-realization. According to author Charaka the activities of body and mind that permits to attain liberation (moksa). He wrote in his text charaka samhita as “yogaha moksa prabartaka”. As a whole yoga therapy not only prescribed different yogasanas pranayama and dhyana but also it includes bandhas, mudras, yuktahara, mitahara, mantra-japa. Satkriyas or satkarmas are known togetherly dhouti, basti, neti, trataka, naouli and kapalabhati. These six cleansing processes and techniques of purification eliminate impurities from the body and these yogic kriyas help us to maintain normal health. According to the mode of practice yogasanas or the special patterns of the body postures that stabilize the mind and body through static stretching and are divided into three. A) meditative asana for peace and calmness of mind and mental health e.g. padmasana, siddhasana, sukhasana, swasthikasana, bajrasana etc. b) cultural/corrective asana for preventive and promotive aspects of health e.g. tadasana, trikonasana, chakrasana, ardhachakrasana, bhujangasana, katichakrasana, salavasana, pabanmuktasana, sarbagasana etc, c) relaxative asana for procuring complete relaxation of body and mind e.g. savasana, makarasana, visramasana, yoga nidra etc. According to Rele (1968) the aim of yoga is to prepare the body to achieve the tranquility of mind which may be necessary for the realization of the supreme.

According to the different classics like Srimad Bagbat Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Ghereandra samhita, Hathayoga Pradipika including the upanisada and puranas yogas are classified as karma yoga, bhakti yoga, Gyana yoga, Raja yoga, kriya yoga, laya yoga and Mantra yoga. Swami Vivekananda puts the different form of yoga as the way of worship, philosophy, and psychic control.

The modern world is facing a pandemic and COVID-19 affects both the physical and psychological health of people with a profound impact on mental health where world community get help from yoga therapy for improving physical and mental health. Yoga and breathing techniques can help relax the nervous system and boost an immune response. Both have been shown to directly impact the health of the immune system. Yoga postures that open the chest and throat are good for stimulating the thymus, and inversion poses can help improve the flow of lymph and immune cells through the body. Twisting poses and hip openers can help to activate the secondary organs of the immune system, including the spleen and the lymph nodes. Modified versions of forward bends, backbends can also lend a hand in supporting and strengthening the body’s natural defence. At present lifestyle disorders require changes to be made by individuals. Yoga plays a greats role in mental disorders as it is primarily meant for the removal of chittavritti that is to control the factors responsible for fluctuating mind. Yogic practice includes body postures or exercises (yogasana), breathing practice (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana). Out of many ways of meditation, Transcendental Meditation has been scientifically and statistically proved to be immensely helpful for mental health care. Mental stress affects autonomic and endocrine functions. The sympathetic nervous system is usually stimulated in stressful conditions with a resultant rise in blood pressure and heart rate. The stressful impulses mediating through the Hypothalamic- Pituitary axis could bring about hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. Yogic practices have been found very useful in resolving emotional conflicts and neurotic tendencies. Yoga reduces the level of anxiety scores and a significant reduction of total neuroticism, anxiety, and general hostility. An individual can achieve more emotional balance and improvement in total memory. The line of treatment should be to retard the hyperactive state of mind. Yogic practices start from the loosening of limbs and joints as prescribed in the common yoga protocol by the Ministry of Ayush for IDY.

Yoga system practised in India is having a great heritage, a long history. It takes of all the aspects of human personality at the physical, mental, social, spiritual, and emotional levels. Yogic practice prevents many diseases specially the non-communicable diseases, mobilizes joints, promotes blood flow, improves digestion, maintains normal metabolism, carries nutrition and hormone to all tissues of the body, and activates endocrinal glands and nervous systems, stimulate all body organs to function properly. Hence, let us observe the International Day of Yoga on 21stjune every year and follow the path of yoga to stand as a healthy citizen in the world.

Theme for 2023 - Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam. “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” is the theme for this year’s International Yoga Day 2023, which beautifully captures our shared aspiration for “One Earth, One Family, and One Future.”