Sunday, November 3, 2013

YOGA PANICS by Namrata Pamnani

YOGA PANICS


a. The Cultural Origin of YOG

Yog literally means connectivity: the realisation that a single absolute consciousness works at all times , everywhere .  yog is to be in tune with OMNISCIENCE , OMNIPRESENCE, OMNIPOTENCE. 

YOG VASHISHTHA SUGGESTS THAT

We are all instruments of the eternal consciousness that transcends space and time .Realise this and enter into the perfection and harmony of all things and events. You shall be beloved of all creation and your being resonates the brilliance of sun , forbearance of earth , compassion of clouds , comfort and nourishment of trees. The vitality of water, air, space ,ether and fire shall function through you.

         Practicing,playing ,plunging into india s core yogic essence has been quite a journey with turbs and twists, surprises and satires ……zits and zeal to explore my body !!!!! living is only about body. it exists,emerges, evolves each day through new beginning and new ends…few years ago i read in a magazine yogaaa ig dangerous !  When u are into yog what happens ? If you are a yogi does your body reacts or responds? there can be danger of lopsided development . An isolated yoga practices a selfish approach . SERVICE , Sacrifice and surrender to find the real yogic expression. Yoga essentially is the muscle building exercise in process of virtuosity . Though mastering both material and spiritual life with great service and contribution to the world creates antidote to fanaticism. . . a infinite journey to eternity. The media, news journals , magazines today project asanas through its eroticism which allures people to get engrossed in the external rivet of its form.

THE detailing , the process, the breath ,and its flow all gets diluted leading even the yogic practitioners queuing up for appointments with orthopaedic consultants followed by physiotherapy.

Why the world doesn t approach in simplicity and beauty of the practice itself rather than it being a pride or proof of one s flexibility. A BEAUTIFUL BODY NOT ALWAYS RESONATES INNER DEEPER SPACE. The sonic body disappears in the hues of emptiness . Continuity is good but it also needs a pause ,  a thought to reflect and re implement that continuity again into conviction of practice.

Necessity is the mother of invention-YOGA 
-Is there anything that can give semblance of health and well being?
-is there anything that calm down an over anxious mind?
-is there anything that could repair relationships or even help you to stand alone?

YOGA in various forms sells in this market to fill up a vacuum - it may be the sunday church , weekly spiritual meeting , kirtan , sat sang, A visit to mosque! synagogue! gurudwara! asana class , meditation, pilates ……they all connect you to an all pervasive self that governs all that we have and need. you tend to be more satisfied and forgiving, more contemnplative and understanding. BUT sometimes subconsciously the environment where you could be healed you become sick-A fanatic ,A picture of panic.


b. HOLISM- a contemporary approach to yog or yoga

Holism states that each component of the universe is not separate and disconnected from the rest. The whole cosmos is one body and its DNA works in every part.

In other words it boils down to recognising the macrocosm into the microcosm. This very idea is the basic of vedic thought and yogic sciences . Going through works of Dr. D.S.Kothari ( First vice chancellor of delhi university ). i read a very interesting statement which relates very well to my practice .-the atom that we wish to understand in chemistry _nuclear physics or for that matter all matter are the self. If it were not so we would not be able to comprehend them. We must not imagine that a yogi in himalayas having nothing and doing nothing except meditation is of no consequence . We are connected to him , his austerities and meditation helps us to be more thoughtful and satisfied.


c. real yogis panic the world

let us go to greece the home of the olympics which celebrates the yogic idea - togetherness and friendship through excellence in sports. Let us observe how the seeds of yoga created panic in society which is always in panic. 
It is socrates ( 470-398 b.c. ) in athens he questioned the need to acquire money , learning and power to establish the meaning of LIFE. He reflected on the identity of the human being as the soul as the soul of the universe.He was accused of misleading the youth and had to drink a cup of hemlock . He died foe honour of yog. His chief disciple Plato has reported the life of this great yogi of the west in his book The republic.

Plato established an academy where young scholars came to learn and research the principles of life and social structures. Plato suggested that it is the philosopher kings who should rule. Such kings can possess nothing ,but the need to share and serve.

In this academy came aristotle who taught yog in his own way . He wrote on all aspects of education, philosophy , social and life sciences and politics. Briefly related to our area of thought he said:
Education should:

1. inspire a man to have a strong and lively body.
2. teach him to avoid extremes -moderation of senses and values is a key to find right equilibrium .
3. help see good in others and not faults.
4. teach the person to give his best in a team.

Let us now go to time of Jesus who is  also recognised as a great human yogi. He taught - the only sin is NOT TO LOVE. If you quarrel with your friend over a shirt give him the coat in the bargain. His presence generated miracles -the blind could see and sick were healed . YOG SUGGESTS THAT MIRACLES ARE POSSIBLE. And this panicked the world soooo jesus was put on the cross.
Mahatma Gandhi was shot by an assassin because he believed in love and forgiveness even in the world of politics.

d. THE WAY AHEAD

HAVE WE UNDERSTOOD YOG or we find it convenient to work on it at the surface . If we preach,teach and sell yoga we shall panic too in the world of panic . But is yoga more than goods , then let it work in our lives, to sustain the institution called family . VASUDHEV KUTUMBAKAM - the whole world is my family . 
It could be a good beginning for the survival of human beings as a species in a catastrophic situation which does not merit discussion.


e. The yogi - A secret treasure

SHLOKAS 13 and 14 , chapter 12 Bhakti yoga from Bhagwad gita are sung in the morning prayers. DID I HEAR THESE SHLOKAS ; SAY THEM OR CONTEMPLATE AND LIVE THEM???? they are much more .

adveshta sarvabhutanam maitraye karuneva cha
nirmamo nirhamkarah samma dukkha sukhakshami
santushtah satatam yogi yatatma drananishchayaha
mayyarpittamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaha same priyaha


The yogi considers the manifest universe as a part of his being ; is compassionate and understanding and is its friend . He can possess nothing and is aware that all individual and collective behaviour of human beings is a part of the evolutionary spiral that dictates destiny. He is forgiving and steadfast in joy and sorrow. He desires nothing. He is always stationed in the absolute truth beyond space and time , which works everywhere. He has not been told and yet he is aware and has nothing to say. His mind and search is directed to the eternal principles which govern the perfection called cosmos. His life is a sacrifice to this pursuit . His thoughts and works are integrated in this endless adventure. His body is active in service.for him the absolute truth is not a matter of intellectual debate but is the love that pervades and sustains all creation. He is aware that the outside is the manifestation of within. His search transcends the pain of disease and death.

No comments: