Reddy Yoga lifts the spirits of a creaking body – briefly
Stretching. Pic by Indika Handuwala
YOGA-BY-THE-LAKE – As we lay contorted on the yoga mat with ageing limbs barely able to lift themselves off the floor, the thought flits through my mind that it would be good if the Sri Lankan government was to take up the advice of Dr. Radha Reddy, an advocate of the ancient art who believes it should be taught in schools. I shouldn’t be thinking of such thoughts if I was doing the one-hour yoga session right, but then my mind is not attuned like some of the others who have turned up on International Yoga Day – June 21 – for the demonstration by yogi Reddy at the Thotupola Lakeside Resort by the side of the becalming Bolgoda Lake in Piliyandala.
“Like India, Sri Lanka should also introduce yoga as a subject in schools,’ says Dr. Reddy. “Children are the future and if we can inculcate this habit in them it will be a huge benefit to society.” My quivering body agrees with this concept wholeheartedly. For if we had learned yoga in primary instead of being champions of ‘gudu’ and marbles, perhaps our society today would be healthier and more content. ”People don’t realise the value of health until they fall sick. Governments all over the world only think about the curative process spending so much on hospitals and medicine rather than on preventive methods.”
Dr. Radha Reddy
“Our bodies are naturally endowed with healing powers and if you invest 15 minutes every day on yoga, there would be no need to have hospitals,” adds Dr. Reddy. That might be a simplistic view says the cynic in me, but Dr. Reddy is speaking from experience. In her previous life she worked for the Karnataka Health Department where she ran the Indian state’s preventive and social medicine programme in the urban slums. She became disillusioned when she realised that it wasn’t really preventive and that she was fighting a losing battle being a doctor. ”The only way towards health is to promote yoga. You know that the only country in the world which has truly invested in this preventive measure is Bhutan where yoga is taught widely,” says Dr. Reddy.
There are signs that more countries will follow in Bhutan. Last year Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his UN address suggested that June 21 be known as International Yoga Day. Sri Lanka has taken that to heart as proven by the large turnout at Vihara Maha Devi Park last Tuesday.
It is only a handful who makes the trek to Bolgoda at the invitation of Viraga Pvt Ltd, a company which Dr. Reddy has interests in with local partners as she hopes to start spreading the gospel first touted by Indian sage Patanjali more than 4,000 years ago. My ears prick up when she mentions the word sutra. The only sutra I have heard is of the ‘Kama’ variety. Perish that thought for Patanjali’s gift to the world was 196 sutras – a set of words and rules including physical and meditative practices – which if followed correctly, enables one to attain a state of consciousness free of external intrusions.
I’m very conscious of the difficulty as I try to lift both my legs and upper torso off the ground while lying in a prone position. The best I can do is a few millimeters off the ground. Dr Reddy explains the eight limbs of yoga – the four external practices: Yamas (social conduct), Niyamas (personal conduct), Asanas (physical posture) and Pranayama (breathing techinques) plus the four meditative practices: Pratyahara (withdrawing one’s thoughts from the world), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (contemplation and reflection) and finally Samadhi (when everything ceases to exist and you achieve oneness, or a state of bliss). There is no bliss as I embarrassingly fail to touch my toes with outstretched hands while seated with legs in front of me.
My body is stiff and lacks all elasticity. Dr. Reddy assures me with practice, even my quivering body will be able to adapt. ”I want to introduce all eight limbs of yoga not just the Asanas (postures). Both physical practices and meditative practices must be done and what connects both mind and body is your breathing. Breathing is the most important aspect of yoga otherwise you will just be doing a physical exercise.” I inhale and exhale deeply. It feels good and it is calming. But soon the hour is up and the class is over. My mobile chirps and I’m back to reality.