The magic that is - Yoga

Sometimes you may have felt that you live, not on this earth full of living, breathing people, but inside a pressure cooker. And you nearly always feel overcooked. It seems as if life has never been as fast and stressful as it is today. All of us go about with tons of everyday matters weighing us to the ground - exams, heavy workloads, marriage and family, social and peer pressure, you name it. And under this weight our energy gives way too easily. 

Not at all surprisingly, many are seeking ways of letting out all that stress and cooling down. Some of us decide to dust up prayer books or step out into nature, in our search for inner peace. This quest for stress-free lifestyles make our society a fertile ground for various fads to spring up. But it has also made us revive ancient philosophies. Prominent among them is 'Yoga'. 

Now 'yoga' usually calls to mind the picture of a human form twisted into an extremely painful posture while the face remains uncannily impassive. You can't be blamed for wondering how the twisting of the body can lead to inner calm. Thulasi Arunachalam, long-time practitioner of yoga, while pointing out the logic behind these postures, explains that 'twisting' or assuming those complicated positions, is only a part of this discipline.

"In life you get into twisted, difficult positions. Either you have to come out of it, or you have to learn how to be calm and settled in that position. In 'asana yoga' (body postures), you learn how to be calm while your body is twisted, and the knowledge and practice you gain by doing this, can help you in real life," she explains.

Thulasi says that yoga is a science of right living that can help anyone. According to her it brings relaxation, sharpens concentration and instills an inner calm, helping you to remain unruffled during stormy weather in life. "It's holistic, developing your intellectual, emotional, spiritual and physical capacities. For me it creates harmony between mind and body," she says. 

Yoga evolved in India as a Vedic science and is non-religious. Patanjali, the sage who codified the system, has defined it as "the control of thought waves in the mind." Thulasi explains that it is a system based on solid principles and methodology. Any one of us can become a disciple but she stresses that an open mind is essential. "You must take it seriously," she says. She herself was first introduced to yoga by her brother and was mainly a self-learner, until she entered 'Vivekananada Kendraya' in Bangalore. She stresses that being guided by a teacher is always better than practising on your own.

Apparently, asana (body postures) is only one of the eight parts of yoga. The rest include meditation, self-discipline and breathing technique. Also, out of the four main streams of yoga, 'karma yoga', 'gnana yoga' and 'bhakthi yoga' have nothing to do with physical exercise. "For example, if you do whatever work you do with complete devotion, not being side-tracked into worrying about the results or what others would say, then you are practising karma yoga without knowing it," Thulasi explains. 

"In the same way, if you practise your religion with complete sincerity, then you are practising bhakthi yoga," she adds. 

Further she says that body postures have been designed mainly to drag us out of the static lifestyles we are so hopelessly mired in. Elasticity and flexibility of the body makes it easier for the mind to adapt itself to lifestyles which seem to demand so much from us. 

Though to a beginner yoga seems to be an ancient and esoteric science, Thulasi points out that parts of yoga are common knowledge. "A yoga instructor will tell you that when you are stressed out, it helps to watch your breathing and slow it down. But most of us know this and do it out of habit." 

According to Thulasi, surroundings are important when practising any type of yoga. "It should be an open and a calm place, not too noisy and not too hot." She conducts her classes in the pavilion at Mount Lavinia Hotel because of the openness and fresh air it offers, she explains. "Time is not very important," she says, adding "it is better if you can practise in the morning between 4-6 or after 6 in the evening. The main thing is that you haven't eaten anything for four hours before you start practising. If not it becomes difficult to practise body postures." 

Yoga also is also hailed as an effective form of healing. Practising the body postures enhances blood circulation and makes the body more flexible, which in turn helps your body function more healthily. As a result, relief for many common ailments can be found through practising yoga, says Thulasi. 

Relating one of her own experiences she says, "When I started practising yoga, I was suffering from migraine. After some time, since I hadn't complained about it for a while, my brother asked me whether I still had migraine. It was only then that I realized that I had not been having the headaches for some time."

Young or old, we all find ourselves to be suffering from creaking and groaning muscles at one time or other. It is never too late to give them an oiling, but it always helps to be wary of the various fads that spring up. But yoga has stood the test of time and its approach seems to be logical and genuine. So the next time you feel like a frayed rubber band stretched tight and about to snap, yoga may be just what you need.
 
 

Some Basic postures
1. Pascimottanasan - Back extension  This posture stretches the hamsring muscles, and increases flexibility in the hip joints. It tones and massages the entire abdominal and pelvic regions. Caution - those who suffer from sciatica should avoid this.	2. Vrkasanna - Tree This helps to balance the functions of the nervous system, and strengthens the leg, ankle and foot muscles.
3. Parivrtta trikonsana - Reverse traingle Toning and stimulating the nervous system, this posture helps digestion and relieves constipation. Caution- those who suffer from severe back pain should avoid this.	4. Bhujanganasana - Cobra This posture relieves back pain and keeps the spine  supple and healthy, also stimulating abdomen and pelvic organs Caution - those who suffer from peptic ucler and hernia should practise with expert guidance

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