Yoga and Me

I am attending Yoga Instructor's Course in Malaysia Yoga Society which is headed by Master Manisekaran. One of the assignment for the course is to give public talk about yoga to a group of people with no yoga background. And this is what I conveyed during the talk:

What is Yoga? The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word 'yuj' which means 'unity'. It is the unity of body, mind and soul. Yoga is an ancient science and holistic way of life originated from India.The origins of yoga have been speculated to date back to pre-vedic Indian traditions, an it was first mentioned in the Rigveda. Yoga is the ultimate knowledge given by Krishna to Arjuna during the Mahabharata War. It is also the science offered by Shiva the Adhiyogi over 15000 years ago to Saptarishis. Later Patanjali Maharishi who is one of the 18 Siddhars of India compiled this knowledge in Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

Adhiyogi and Saptarishis

Patanjali Siddhar

Though many think of yoga only as a physical exercise where people twist, turn, stretch, and breathe in the most complex ways, it is the most profound science of unfolding the infinite potentials of the human body, mind and soul. The science of yoga begins to work on the outermost aspect of the personality, the physical body. When one experiences imbalance physically, the organs, muscles and nerves no longer function in harmony; rather they act in opposition to each other. Yoga aims at bringing different bodily functions into perfect coordination so that they work for the good of the whole body. From the physical body, yoga moves on to the mental and emotional levels. Yoga helps one to cope and slowly overcome phobia and neuroses which is the result of the stresses and interactions of everyday living. Through practices of yoga, one develops the awareness and realization of the inner self which is the soul. He becomes more composed and and in harmony within. When one is in harmony within, the journey through life becomes more meaningful, complete, calmer, happier and more fulfilled.

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutra,yoga is defined as yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ which means "Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)". In short, it is all about being in a meditative state and self-awareness. Yoga is codified and compiled in a systematic way of an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for the practitioner, which are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and finally the ultimate destination which is the Super-conciousness, Samadhi.

8 Limbs of Yoga

There are many many benefits one achieves through yoga. Yoga improves flexibility, builds muscle strength, perfects posture and balance, prevents cartilage and joint breakdown, protects your spine,gives strength to the bones increases blood flow, drains lymphs and boosts immunity, regulates heart rate, blood pressure and adrenal glands as well as lowers blood sugar. Yoga too helps to focus, relieves tension, makes one breathe deeper and sleep deeper too. Regular practice of  yoga gives peace of mind,  increases self-esteem and builds inner strength. In a nutshell, yoga transforms you to be a better person.

In the current era, there are many yoga masters who have been the reason behind the evolution of yoga according to the modern age; Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois and Malaysia's very own Master Manisekaran. Personally, I have two favourite yoga masters and they are the reason I am here today. They are Master Mogana Wandaia and Master SK Durai. They are my Gurus and my inspirations. I aspire to spread the knowledge of yoga be a yogi like them one day. I pray that blessings of the Almighty be upon them always.

Before I end, I would like to share a short story of a woman in her early 30s who miscarried her 3 months old baby. She became shattered and broken into pieces. She became all negative and cried over and over as she could not accept the reality. She was depressed and emotionally unstable and vulnerable. She became so dependant on her spouse to console her which he failed to.She consoled herself through junk food bingeing. Within a month she gained 9 kgs. Her health deteriorated and she was fatigue all the time as well as had breathing difficulties. Her relationship with people around her started turning sour. 1 day at the point of giving up everything, she sat and had a deep thought. She told herself that she should recover, she should change herself..... and she started practicing yoga regularly. Gradually her life changed. She became more positive towards life. She accepted the reality. She started seeing things in a bigger picture. She managed to shed the weight which she gained. Her health became better and emotionally she became very strong and stable. Now she is back to her confident and independant self whom she used to be when she was not married. She talks about yoga and it's benefits to her friends and family members. And yes she is talking to you all too. It is my story. Yoga changed me n my life. So...why wait? Lets yoga ;)

.......
That was my 5 minutes talk about yoga. I have always wanted to practice yoga since I was 14 years old. I collected pictures of yoga poses from newspapers (which I am still keeping) and tried to do it. When I started working I bought books and VCDs on yoga and started practicing regularly on my own. I stopped after getting married as I was too busy carrying out my duty as a wife. After those dark moments in my life, I told myself that I should spend time for myself. This body is the temple where my soul resides. I have to take care of myself, my body, mind and soul. This is the journey of me and myself. I should detach, I shouldn't be dependant on anyone or anything to take care of me. Yoga was the solution. I am still practicing with the guidance of my master and will practice till my very last breathe. Long way to go .... I am working on spreading this technology to people around me :)   So...why wait? Lets yoga ;)

Om Shanthi

Anuradha Engira Abyrami

22.2.2016 3.30am