Yoga positive step toward global health

IRJMST YEAR[2010] Volume 1 Issue 2 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959 Yoga positive step toward global health Rajesh Kumar Mishra Introduction Yoga is a simple process of reversing the ordinary outward flow of energy and consciousness so that the mind becomes a dynamic center of direct perception no longer dependent upon the fallible senses but capable of actually experiencing Truth. “Yoga derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, Yoga means union of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit” Yoga is a 5000 year old Indian body of knowledge. Though many think of yoga only as a physical exercise where people twist, turn, stretch, and breathe in the most complex ways, these are actually only the most superficial aspect of this profound science of unfolding the infinite potentials of the human mind and soul. The science of Yoga imbibe itself the complete essence of the Way of Life, including Gyan Yoga or philosophy, Bhakti Yoga or path of devotional bliss, Karma Yoga or path of blissful action, and Raja Yoga or path of mind control. Raja Yoga is further divided into eight parts. At the heart of the Raja Yoga system, balancing and unifying these various approaches, is the practice of Yoga Asana. By practicing the step-by-step methods of Yoga taking nothing for granted on emotional grounds or through blind faith we come to know our oneness with the Infinite Intelligence, Power, and Joy which gives life to all and which is the essence of our own Self. The meditative practices through yoga help in achieving an emotional balance through detachment. What it means is that meditation creates conditions, where you are not affected by the happenings around you. This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body. International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology www.irjmst.com Page 197 IRJMST YEAR[2010] Volume 1 Issue 2 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959 These are just some of the tangible benefits that can be achieved through yoga. Having seen this, it is educative to note why the ancient yogis performed yoga and the interdependence of yoga and meditation. Benefits of Yoga Globally 1. Increasing Flexibility Yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the „radar screen‟ let alone exercised. 2. Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons Likewise, the well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body. Surprisingly it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing a remarkable flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously work 3. Complete Detoxification By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life. International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology www.irjmst.com Page 198 IRJMST YEAR[2010] Volume 1 Issue 2 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959 4. Increases your blood flow Yoga gets your blood flowing. More specifically, the relaxation exercises you learn in yoga can help your circulation, especially in your hands and feet. Yoga also gets more oxygen to your cells, which function better as a result. Twisting poses are thought to wring out venous blood from internal organs and allow oxygenated blood to flow in once the twist is released. 5. Maintains your nervous system Some advanced yogis can control their bodies in extraordinary ways, many of which are mediated by the nervous system. Scientists have monitored yogis who could induce unusual heart rhythms, generate specific brain-wave patterns, and, using a meditation technique, raise the temperature of their hands by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. 6. Builds muscle strength Strong muscles do more than look good. They also protect us from conditions like arthritis and back pain, and help prevent falls in elderly people. And when you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility. If you just went to the gym and lifted weights, you might build strength at the expense of flexibility. Global Impact of Yoga Worldwide, billions of people covet the industrial world's wealth and are replicating its system of modern consumerism as rapidly as possible. But what they are ignoring, perhaps perilously so, is the fact that as materially well off as the industrial world is, too many of us are also chronically living what Henry David Thoreau coined "a life of quiet desperation." One of the great hopes in all this is that in the past decade there has been a huge upsurge in people embarking on self-examination. People are again asking the big question, "What is this life about?" And no matter how hard we may try to deny it, the answer we are left facing is a spiritual one. International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology www.irjmst.com Page 199 IRJMST YEAR[2010] Volume 1 Issue 2 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959 Because of this reawakening, yoga is sweeping across the globe at a dazzling speed, as millions are turning to yoga not only to exercise, but also as an alternative to the experience of a spiritual gathering they cannot find in a church, synagogue, mosque or Web site. Perhaps the reason for this lies in the chief difference between religion and Western-style yoga, and that is that Yoga is usually offered in a nondogmatic format, which makes it inclusive to many more people. Because of its message of healing, unity and a simpler life, yoga may be one of the great rays of hope for our future. Why? Because worldwide, yoga is being embraced primarily by college-educated, uppermiddle-class thinkers and businesspeople in positions of power--the very strata of society that has the power to make the changes this world so desperately needs. The conference, titled „Yoga: A Science for World Peace‟, was held December 4 and 5, 2011. It was organized by The Art of Living Foundation and S-VYASA University in Bengaluru jointly with the Yoga Portuguese Confederation of Lisbon, Portugal. Though the idea of observing World Yoga Day originated in 2001, this was the first time yoga gurus from India were endorsing it in large numbers. A proclamation was signed for having the United Nations and UNESCO declare June 21 as World Yoga Day. Yoga Practice Yoga teachers will often refer to "your practice," which means your individual experience with yoga as it develops over time. The amazing thing about yoga is that your practice is always evolving and changing, so it never gets boring. Although the poses themselves do not change, your relationship to them will. Anyone can start a yoga practice, even if you don't feel like you are very flexible or very strong. These things will improve the longer you practice. Another great thing about thinking about "your practice" is that it encourages the non competitive spirit of yoga. One of the most difficult, but ultimately most liberating things about yoga is letting go of the ego and accepting that no one is better than anyone else. Everyone is just doing their best on any given day. Branch of Yoga International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology www.irjmst.com Page 200 IRJMST YEAR[2010] Volume 1 Issue 2 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959 There are various paths of Yoga that lead toward this goal, each one a specialized branch of one comprehensive system:  Hatha Yoga A system of physical postures, or asana, whose higher purpose is to purify the body, giving one awareness and control over its internal states and rendering it fit for meditation.  Karma Yoga Selfless service to others as part of one's larger Self, without attachment to the results; and the performance of all actions with the consciousness of God as the Doer.  Mantra Yoga Centering the consciousness within through japa, or the repetition of certain universal root-word sounds representing a particular aspect of Spirit.  Bhakti Yoga All- surrendering devotion through which one strives to see and love the divinity in every creature and in everything, thus maintaining an unceasing worship.  Jnana (Gyana) Yoga The path of wisdom, which emphasizes the application of discriminative intelligence to achieve spiritual liberation.  Raja Yoga The royal or highest path of Yoga, immortalized by Bhagavan Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita and formally systematized in the second century B.C. by the Indian sage Patanjali, which combines the essence of all the other paths. International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology www.irjmst.com Page 201 IRJMST YEAR[2010] Volume 1 Issue 2 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959 References 1. http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/beginnersguide 2. http://www.healthandyoga.com/ 3. Proclamation signed under the leadership of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar". 4. "Striving for a peaceful world through Yoga at International Yoga Summit 5. World Yoga Day 22 February to collect funds for human rights causes 6. Chakraborty SK. “Managerial Transformation by Values: A Corporate Piligrimate” Saga. New Delhi; 1993 7. Sudheer Deshpande, Nagendra H R, Raghuram Nagarathna, A Randomized Control Trial Of The Effect Of Yoga On Gunas (Personality) And Health In Normal Healthy Volunteers, International Journal of Yoga, January 06,2009 International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology www.irjmst.com Page 202