“Having set a clean place, his firm seat, neither too high nor too low, covered with sacred grass, deerskin and a cloth, one over the other, and sitting on that seat, concentrating the mind and controlling the functions of the mind and the senses, he should practice yoga for self-purification”: The Bhagavad-Gita

Based on their observations of nature and practices of different techniques, sages in ancient India developed yogic practices. The great Sage Patanjali later codified these practices in about 200 B.C. as an eight-limbed path of yoga, a discipline that seeks to unite the individual soul with the Universal soul. And over 2000 years later, the practice of yoga, not confined by religion or ascetism, continues to bring health and serenity to people across the globe.

The eight limbs or stages of yoga, noted by Sage Patanjali, initiate a person into the discipline of yoga and take him to the highest level of self-realization. These are yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. Yama, restraint, enjoins a person to be non-violent, truthful, and control his passions. Niyama, individual discipline, enjoins a person to cultivate good habits such as cleanliness, contentment, austerity, self-study, and the surrender to God.

Asanas, postures, call for the practice of certain body postures that bring peace and purity to the mind, and good health to the body. Pranayama, rhythmic breath control, is the practice of the three distinct stages of breathing — inhalation, retention and exhalation — that when coupled with asanas bring about a powerful change in the body. Pratyahara, the discipline of the senses, asks a person to direct oneself inwards, away from worldly objects. Dharana, concentration, involves focusing the mind on a particular form, which may be a deity, to still the otherwise restless mind. Dhyana, meditation, involves deep concentration, to remove impurities of the mind and body, leaving the body as a receptacle of pure thoughts and a storehouse of power. In the eighth stage, Samadhi, self-realization, the meditator reaches a state of pure bliss.

Renowned Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar, who has been teaching yoga since 1936, has based his practice on the classic eight-limbed philosophy of yoga. He has practiced and perfected asanas that bring health and well-being, while emphasizing that their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind. Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh, a pupil of the yoga guru and a teacher at Iyengar Yogabhyasa, Mumbai, says that asanas are the starting point of bringing about physical well-being and their practice helps penetrate the different sheaths of the body such as muscles, nerves, and hormones.

“Following each stage of the eight-fold path, leads a person towards self-realization, leads to a calming of the mind and strengthening of the body systems”, says distinguished danseuse and yoga exponent Dr. Gita Kasturi. Crediting yoga as “an exact science of the inner being”, she affirms that the practice of yoga gifts a person with immense strength.

Dr. Kasturi stresses that asanas done with awareness (rather than simply as body exercises) along with correct breathing help to center the mind and channelize energy. Asanas involve stretching the body in certain postures and holding the position. These postures stretch and strengthen muscles as well as regulate the functioning of glands and hormones bringing beneficial results. “Each body cell has a healing capacity. If it is activated correctly, through the practice of yoga, energy is released which elevates one to a higher level of consciousness.” Stating the case of patients suffering from sciatica, respiratory, digestive, thyroid and other disorders as well as migraines, Dr. Kasturi has found the practice of yoga restores good health. “Allopathy provides relief in the short-term, but with the practice of yoga, the root cause of an ailment is removed and it is the best long-term solution”.

Dr. Pratima Chippalkatti, Consultant Gynecologist, Bombay Hospital, affirms that “Everything is controlled by our brain, and we can call the brain the bandmaster of our body. Stress is very disturbing; and the root cause of most diseases is mental or physical stress. Yoga is extremely beneficial as both the asanas and meditation relax the mind and the body. Yoga is also beneficial in cases of depression, for with depression there are changes in eating habits, which also affects one’s health”. She has found yoga beneficial to patients who suffered from polycystic ovaries, irregular cycles and obesity.

The benefits of yoga, undoubtedly, are immense. As health and well-being improve, one is gently guided on the path of joy and spirituality. As Dr. Kasturi says, “Our transactional approach to life dissolves, expectations cease, and there is a flow of joy. Just as the butterfly is a larva in a cocoon, but a beautiful butterfly when it leaves the cocoon, similarly there is freedom outside our cocoons. Yoga helps us to break out of this cocoon”. Start your day with yoga and you will discover a treasure within you.

NOTEBOOK: Yoga is best learned under the guidance of a trained yoga instructor. Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar, Harper Collins, is an excellent guide to yoga. ISBN 1-8553-8166-5. Learn more about Iyengar yoga from www.bksiyengar.com . Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh, Iyengar Yogabhyasa, 2nd Floor, Kanyaka Parmeshwari Mandir, Telang Road, Matunga, Mumbai. Ph: 91-22-24032854; Dr. Gita Kasturi, Yoga Kala Upasana Foundation, P.O. Box No. 1933, G.P.O. Mumbai. Mailing Address: Flat No. 6, 2nd Floor, Rafiya Manzil, Wodehouse Road, Colaba, Mumbai – 400 039. Tel: 2284 4449. Tel/ Fax: 2281 5526. e-mail: info@yogakalaupasana.com. Web-site: www.yogakalaupasana.org; Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is the founder of Isha Foundation, an international public service organization. They also have a yoga program. Web-site: http://www.ishafoundation.org. Different approaches and interpretations of yoga are current around the world. In one such version, developed by Bikram Choudhury in California, a 26-posture yoga routine is done in a room heated to 105 degrees. This approach believes that the heat loosens muscles and makes the asanas easier to perform.