It is therefore a matter of satisfaction that June 21 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Day of Yoga. Some decades ago yoga was the prerogative of only a few yoga or spiritual practitioners. Spiritual discourses are organized on famous Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Gyana Yoga of Geeta. Patanjali Yoga Sutra is also renowned for its Astangic Marga for yoga, with eight components for the control of the body, breath, sense organs, mind, self-control, concentration, meditation and the ultimate culmination in Samadhi.Yogic exercises for the promotion of good health have gradually become popular across the world. The popularity has increased especially since the rise of Swami Ramdev and his close associate Sri Balkrishna Jee Maharaj and the establishment of Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, India. Regular yoga lessons conducted by Swamijee across the world have helped popularize yoga in international community and its popularity is increasing by the day.
People everywhere have experienced positive effects of yoga and meditation, not only in maintaining good health but also as a preventive as well as curative method in promoting rapid healing. Even medical doctors, champions of materialistic science, have admitted to positive uses of yoga and meditation both in preventive and curative processes. Many hospitals have reportedly started running yoga and meditation sessions for their patients. Thus yoga and meditation are becoming an integral part of human life irrespective of people's caste, color, creed or nationality.
In this context it is relevant to understand the deeper significance of yoga and meditation. The word "yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj" which means to unite, starting from the union of body with good health to the union of the soul or Atma (soul) with Paramatma, the Divine. This state of unity is termed Samadhi, the transcendental experience of bliss.
Yoga is not just external physical exercises as some believe. It involves deeper mental and intellectual practices termed as spiritual sadhana. Geeta advises us to be seated in yoga and perform all our actions (Yogastha kuru karmani). Yoga is proficiency in action (Yoga karmasu kausalam). It is equanimity of the mind (samatwam yoga uchyate). Experience of peace and happiness is possible only in the state of equanimity of the mind.
Human beings over the world have one ultimate goal in life: to achieve and experience joy, fulfillment, peace and happiness. Whatever we do (or don't), is always either to avoid misery, stress, strain or tension, to experience peace and happiness. It is said: Sukhaya karmani karoti loke which means people in this world act only to gain happiness. Peace is an inevitable part of happiness because nobody can ever be happy in the absence of peace (ashantasya kutah sukham).
Human life has four dimensions or levels of existence. Our body represents physical existence. It is controlled by mind. Apart from the automatic functioning of inner organs, all our conscious body movements and actions are controlled by our mind. Our mind is controlled by our intellect which, when backed by the power of discrimination, is termed wisdom. And all these levels of existence are activated by our consciousness. Thus our body is only one-fourth of our existence. The more important and determining dimensions are within. Therefore, whenever we talk about development of human personality, we must think of development at all these four levels of existence.
Material progress and prosperity and consumerism can cater only to our physical body and its sense organs. Not realizing this has been one of the major reasons humanity is yet to fulfill its eternal quest for peace and happiness.
Practice of yoga and meditation helps us balance our attitude and directs us on the royal road to peace and happiness. Observing International Day of Yoga will remind all countries at least once a year to evaluate how far they have fulfilled their duty in helping their citizens achieve peace and happiness through yoga and meditation. It will also remind every individual to practice yoga and meditation.
Yoga and meditation originated thousands of years ago in Nepal but it is sad that the country does not as yet have a National Institute of Yoga and Meditation catering to the needs of the different citizens to achieve peace and happiness. On June 21 various programs are being organized in different countries. We expect our government to announce on this day establishment of the national institute. This Institute can design different programs of different durations to cater to individual needs.
To start, it will provide yoga and meditation training to at least one teacher from each school and college. It will introduce yoga and meditation classes in educational institutions so that future leaders and citizens have a balanced view of life and will refrain from negativities. These practitioners of yoga and meditation will cultivate integrity, purity in character, spiritual awareness and respect for human values. Only then will we be able to build a true new Nepal that is prosperous and whose citizens live in happiness and harmony.
The author is a veteran educationist
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