The
great wealth of knowledge available within the ancient Vedic literature
of India is indeed secretive, though not meant to be so.
Let us explore Yoga that is of great relevance today. The Bhagavad Gita describes it as “skill in actions.”
The
Upanishad says: “It is said to be the oneness of breath, mind and
senses”. Various troublesome factors like pollution and the changing
lifestyles plague the modern world. Man is confronted by many ailments
like strain, anxiety and hypertension that disrupt his normal life. Yoga
is a system of exercises for both physical and mental upkeep. Apart
from being a system of exercise, Yoga also inculcates self-discipline.
It
was as early as the 2nd century B.C. that the fundamentals of Yoga were
systematically presented. The person who is credited with having done
this is Patanjali. According to Patanjali, within the human body there
are channels called Nadi-s and centers called Chakra-s. If these are
tapped, the hidden energy can be released. Though Yoga has been
practised for countless generations, it is only during the last few
years that scientists have begun to recognize its powers. Tests
conducted on Yogis reveal that they do acquire extraordinary powers. For
instance, they can survive without oxygen and remain without food for
long periods.
Yoga
was an integral part of the traditional education as imparted in
Ashrama¬s and Gurukula-s. Though education in these Ashrama-s was open
only to a few, the practice of Yoga, in its less strict versions, has
been popular among the common people all through the ages. The field
where the application of Yoga is being increasingly recognized is
Physiotherapy. Yoga has also been used to treat disorders such as
asthma, backache, depression, etc. and is being assessed for its
potential in treating illnesses such as multiple sclerosis,
osteoporosis, cerebral palsy, etc. Such is the amazing power of Yoga!
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