14/07/2018
Continued …………….
Importance of Yoga Education today :
As individuals we differ in our likings and disliking, desires and wishes, aspirations and ambitions no one of us is alike. However, in spite of the differences, we all share a common desire and it is that every-one of us wants to be happy in life. It is also quite natural that our means of happiness also differ. Every one of us wants peace of mind. In spite of our all possessions the modern civilization has given us; we lack peace of mind. Hence, many times we feel our life to be unfulfilled or futile without mental peace.
Happiness is in fact, a quest and mission of life of every individual. We must understand that modern amenities have brought comforts to the life and not peace or happiness. Its fast pace has also brought strain and stress into the life. Man is not able to adjust with such burden of stresses. His adaptability is falling short to the changing situations of life. When reaction to the stress is out of proportion to the demands made by the situations or circumstances, they lead to “adaptation diseases” as Hans Selye calls them. In fact, our reaction to the circumstances is stress.
What is required by individual is to develop abilities to cope up or to develop resistance at psycho-physiological level to meet the circumstances successfully to find the reaction on the body mind not out of proportion.
For modern man, his modern life style has presented him modern diseases / disorders. But it has a definite answer provided he wants to seek it sincerely. The term “Sincerity” has serious meaning here because no attempt can be pursued without sincerity.
Let us try to understand that modern diseases are result of modern life style and these can be overcome only by changing life style in positive manner. Yoga is way of life and not simply view of life. It has practical value. A practitioner of Yoga is required to follow certain disciples which are code of conduct and they are self-imposed. Without discipline, no progress, whether material or spiritual, of man is possible.
That is why there is difference between human and animal. Animal behaves with instincts whereas, human being behaves with rationale. The following quotation suggests;
ahara nidra bhaya maithuna ch samanyametatpasunirbharanam|
dharmi hi tesamardhiko viseso ghameina hina pasubhi samana||
Here, the meaning of word Dharma is a rationale conduct: a behavior not guided by the instincts but by the reason. This power of reasoning is made use of in yoga. But disciplined behavior expected of practitioner. By practicing yoga sincerely, one develops “vivek-khyati”; conscience.
Yoga considers man as a whole for his all problems. The important aspects like physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are part of the wholeness. Yoga education has graded ways to tackle these aspects. Many times it puts a little more emphasis on some but they are homogenously linked together and when one aspect is tackled other aspects too are indirectly and conveniently tackled. Thus Yoga believes in the education of whole man and his personality which has several facets.
Yoga education provides efficacious means which can deal with all the individuals considering their differences in abilities and capacities. Thus Yoga Education caters to the needs of physical, emotional or spiritual according to the limitations and interests of the persons. The important part of Yoga Education is to equip the man with means to reeducate him in bringing about positive transformation so that he can manage the life without much hustle / conflict. Usually, man wants that others should change except him. Yoga says change yourself. Change must begin from the self. Know that, education starts from oneself. Its emphasis is on practice rather than precept.
To deal with the problems of human life, yoga education has an approach to the body, it has approach to the mind and it has also an approach to the spirit. These three approaches are not isolated from each other but are inter-linked. Yoga education has an integrated approach.
