Yoga Day in time of covid

SWAMI BRAHMA SWARUPANANDA

SADHVI ANANDAMAIYEE GIRI

ANNUALLY since 2015, International Yoga Day has been celebrated worldwide on June 21, significantly the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. This international day was first proposed by India's current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014. He explained that yoga is not only
roga mukti (health benefit) but also
bhoga mukti (desisting from worldly greed).

The preliminary version of the resolution was broadly endorsed and cosponsored by 177 member nations, the largest number of cosponsors ever for any General Assembly resolution.

The year 2020 met us with the theme “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home.” This theme dealt with the context of families living amidst the covid19 pandemic where many were quarantined or in isolation, effectually creating waves of depression and other psychological problems.

This year the theme was “Yoga for well-being.” It is most appropriately chosen since at this time the world is still suffering from the covid19 pandemic. Yoga’s holistic healing is now extremely essential for every individual’s healthy immunity, healthy mind and great strength to combat this virus.

WHO explains, in its global action plan, that “Yoga can improve health through physical activity. These yoga benefits include increased flexibility, fitness, muscle strength, whole-body tone and tune, mindfulness and relaxation.” It improves respiration, blood circulation and energises the vital forces of mind and body. Yoga is wholistic and holistic – an integrated science of life to deal with the emotional and spiritual health of all individuals.

2021 Yoga Day

The UN virtually celebrated the seventh International Yoga Day from 8.30 am to 10 am, with a live broadcast on UN WebTV.

This event opened with messages from the president of the General Assembly and the deputy secretary-general. Afterwards, yoga exercises (
asanas) were demonstrated and discussions took place on yoga and its cultivation of a balanced attitude in daily life.

Meaning of yoga

The word yoga was derived from the Sanskrit word
yuj referring to joining or unifying. Yoga exercises have a holistic effect, bringing balance upon the body, mind and consciousness. Yoga leads us to supreme knowledge and bliss via the union of the individual self and supreme self.

Evolution of yoga

Yogic lore identifies Bhagawan Shiva as the first yogi (adi yogi), who imparted yogic knowledge to the
sapta rishis (seven great sages) who then disseminated this knowledge throughout the world. Yoga is present in many traditions including Vedic, Upanishad, Buddhist, Jain, Shaivite, Vaishnav and Tantra. The great sage Maharishi Patanjali is said to be the “Father of Modern Yoga” since he was first to codify yoga practices in the popular Yoga Sutras. He also mentions the eight limbs of yoga: yama, niyam, asan, pranayama, pratyahar, dharana, dhyan and samadhi in his book Yoga Darshan (Philosophy of Yoga).

Shrimad Bhagwad Gita highlights the ideals of gyaan, bhakti and karma yoga in its 18 chapters. Many other popular types of yoga include kriya, tantra (mantra, kundalini, naad, laya) and transcendental meditation yoga.

The eight-fold path of Buddha presents the yoga sadhana in light of yoga philosophy. During the classical period (700-1007 AD), yoga emerged through great
acharyas such as Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhavacharya, and Nimbharkacharya. During the modern age (1007-1009 AD), yoga flourished with great souls like Sri Ramakrishna Parmahansa, Swami Vivekananda, Yogi Arvind and Swami Yogananda. Presently, yoga is viewed as a vehicle to preserve, maintain and promote a balanced healthy lifestyle through great personalities such as Swami Shivananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Swami Rama, Sri Rajneesh and many others.

Yoga in post-modern period

The covid19 pandemic has heavily impacted mankind’s physical and psychological health. There is now the urgent need to analyse mental health issues and find methods to deal with them. Yoga is one of those methods. This year, many organisations including Brahma Vidya Peetham International – Trinidad and Tobago, Shri Ramakrishna Sharada Peeth – Virginia, USA, the Himalayan Institute, Ayush Ministry of India Government, Indian embassies and many more promoted International Yoga Day by: encouraging individuals to practise yoga
asanas (exercise) at home with their families, viewing online yoga classes and sharing their experiences of yoga practices on various social media platforms.

Yoga is now being widely developed and accepted by western people. Its practice in the West focuses one’s energies on:

* increasing flexibility by building muscular strength

* keeping the joints healthy

* enhancing the power of mindfulness

* reducing stress

* lowering blood pressure

* improving the quality of breathing

* encouraging the body’s natural processes

* creating brighter moods

* promoting better self-care

* maintaining perfect equality and harmony in multiple brain functions

* increasing metabolism, thus resulting in a healthier body weight

Yoga climatology

It has become imperative for people to change many of their habits in order to change the climate. Plant-based foods,
pranayama (process of breathing) and increased cleanliness have now become an important way of living.

Science in yogic life

Yoga is pathologically proven to heal the body and mind. There is much ongoing scientific research investigating the effects of
pranayama on lung functions, blood circulation, brain neuron activity and heart functions. Many scientists of neurophysiology, neurological consciousness and consciousness in physics have conducted much research at the Maharishi International University which publishes its findings in its Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute.

Approximately 600 research papers regarding yoga have been prepared under the guidance of renowned scientist Dr Tony Nader. Many European and American universities which are researching yoga have proven that if one per cent of the world’s population practises yoga and meditation, there will be a great peaceful impact on Earth. Thus, through yoga, the family, community and society’s lives will progress in calmness, peace and love.

Swami Brahma Swarupananda is the founder of the Brahma Vidya Peetham International and Sadhvi Anandamaiyee Giri is the general secretary