Mental health concerns are growing around the world today. Uncertainties around us have woken us up to the fact that everything is changing all the time. How do you deal with this reality of life without getting anxious or depressed? One person is committing suicide every 42 seconds. While people can openly talk about being diabetic or hypertensive, they are not as open to discussing mental health challenges.
India's greatest gift to the planet, yoga, has proved to be a boon for global mental health today. Yoga is not just relevant but essential. It is imperative to bring the enormous benefits of both yoga and meditation to all corners of the world. Yoga has benefits even after one has been diagnosed with an illness, while it also is a preventive solution to multiple health problems. it brings peace and clarity of mind, and it increases one's self-confidence. With yoga, the mind remains cheerful, the intellect becomes sharp, and who does not want that?
Yoga is a skill in action. Yoga is not just an exercise, but how skillfully you can communicate and act in any given situation. When yoga becomes a part of life, we begin to see a natural flowering of intuition, creativity, and inner strength. It helps us stay centered amidst any uncertainty. After all, yoga means to unite, to bring together the many aspects of our life into one harmonious whole.
When we communicate, we convey more through our vibrations than words. Yoga makes our vibrations positive. When all of us calm our minds down and go within, it creates a field of positive vibrations around us, which is so much needed today. A restless mind spreads restlessness. A calm mind spreads calmness.
Yoga purifies our presence.
Yoga should not be seen as just bending and stretching. It is a complete approach to life. Look at a small child-their breathing, their posture, their alertness, their ability to live in the moment-all of this is yoga. That innocence and naturalness is already within us. Yoga simply helps us return to it.
With yoga, we return to our original nature where we start looking at the positive aspects in life and see how things can be done constructively instead of complaining. This is needed in every field of activity. When things appear gloomy everywhere, it is yoga that brings much-needed dynamism and intuitive ability.
Practice yoga, and pranayama, but importantly, sit for a while and meditate after that. Without meditation and pranayama, yoga becomes a mere physical workout. When we bring Yama (restraints or ethical foundations like non-violence and truth); Niyama (personal discipline such as contentment and self-study); Asana (postures that bring stability and ease to the body); Pranayama (breath regulation that energizes and calms the system); Pratyahara (withdrawing the senses to turn the mind inward); Dharana (focused attention or concentration); Dhyana (effortless meditation); and Samadhi (deep absorption, where the sense of separation dissolves)- these Eight Limbs of Yoga together into life, we see a fundamental change in life. We move from weakness to strength, from powerlessness to empowerment, from sorrow to happiness, towards health.
It is not that you have to follow special principles to walk the path of yoga. It does not matter what faith, or sect you follow, yoga will prove to be a gift for you.
We all have the responsibility to ensure that the opportunity to do Yoga is available to every citizen. Those who have found peace within must share it with everybody else.
You can join the Art of Living's International Day of Yoga celebrations here: www.artofliving.org/in-en/idy
[Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a globally revered spiritual leader and humanitarian. He is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, one of the world's largest volunteer-driven NGOs, working to uplift communities through stress relief, social transformation, and spiritual wisdom. Recognized for his efforts in peacebuilding, mental health awareness, and interfaith dialogue, Gurudev's initiatives have touched over 500 million lives across 180 countries. His mission blends ancient yogic practices with contemporary relevance, empowering individuals to live with clarity, compassion, and confidence.]
Related
