Why Yoga

In my 2009 blog, I left a blank. Why Yoga? Frankly I did not understand it clearly myself.

What are we trying to achieve through Yoga. How soon am I going to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The halos around my head :-). Better health, more happiness. I have now "done" yoga for last 10 years, how much longer to get there.

Where?

Various explanations have been given of benefits in this world and the next. Not too convincing for a person of the 21st century. We want the here and now sort of benefit. We want a short term and a long term horizon of defined benefits. I want results. We hear it all the time. Measurable tangible results. Also we want to quantify our y-o-y targets. This is what the guys who treat yoga as their "property" don't like.

No no no, in Yoga there are no goals, the path is the goal. No expectations. No achievement will take place if you look forward to some achievement. I have just loosely quoted a famous French yogi "Mouni Sadhu", disciple of Raman Mahrishi. I am not saying they were wrong. Their kheer...payasam was bad. No, quite the contrary.

A child has to like the food first, for the food to nourish him. So to today's generation we have to show measurable quantifiable achievement levels at least for the initial path, till he learns the ultimate truth that "WALKING THE PATH IS THE GOAL".

I will require another post to say what is it that one gets "doing yoga".

Fifteen Minutes Yoga

So now I am ready to start Yoga. How do I go about it. What should I do. When do I perform Yoga, morning or evening. Where do I do Yoga, inside, outside, noisy or quiet surroundings. All these questions must be clearly answered for a person starting to do Yoga.

Why am I doing Yoga, what is my goal, what shall I achieve after practicing for a month, two months, a year.

One can perform Yoga at a time that one is available, preferably in a quiet place, covered from above. There should not be food in the stomach, that means four hours after meals, or two hours after snacks. Early morning is a good time, sure, but most of us get up late and then rush through the morning essentials, grabbing a bite, and get to our place of work.

If you are advised to get up at 5 AM and do Yoga, the only achievement you are going to have is a serious feeling of guilt everyday, of not being able to do. Ideally whatever time you come back from work is a good time to refresh yourself before anything else. Take off your shoes, wash your hands, smile at your children and wife, listen to them, and take to your Yoga corner, with a mat. If the place is less noisy, it is better. Wear comfortable clothes, your choice, not mine. Your body should not be constrained. Indoors is better initially.

Sit down, say a little prayer with eyes closed.

If you got 15 minutes, start with a fifteen minute session. Do one or two systematic breathing exercises synchronising breath with body movements (total three minutes), and one relaxation exercise (three minutes)and five minutes of Pranayama say Anuloma -viloma, and 'sectional breathing'. This followed by a small prayer should take you 15 minutes.

What will you get, it will certainly be worth the time and effort. Relaxed body and mind to start with. Hopefully, much more....let's see.

Engineers' Yoga

Engineers are characterized by being logical (by and large, that is). So what is Engineers' yoga. It is logical. If you do not understand the cause and effect relationship, don't do it. No mumbo-jumbo.

You cant bend your back, still you can do Yoga. You have just 15 minutes a day, and no more-sure you can do yoga. Who said yoga requires at least one hour a day. How many people can spare one hour every day.

Yoga is what yoga does. Sense of well being, becoming a better human, relaxed-alert approach, better decision making are all attained by yoga. Abhyasa (practice, or discipline) and Vairagya (non-attachment) achieve bring around these changes. Yoga is essentially a plus (+) sign, similar to 'yoke'. Togetherness is yoga. Togetherness of self, body and mind is achieved by following good practices in behaviour, control of senses, physical practices, breathing practices, and meditation.

The main theme is awareness, perfect awareness at all times. Initially limited awareness for limited period.

If a person is aware, she knows what is good for her and does that.

Next blog- more on same theme