The excessive individualism, consumerism, materialism etc. has set in disintegration, ecological imbalance, meaninglessness of human life. The way out of this, is man has to realize that he is part of family, society and nature and he is potentially divine. To take this message to the world Yoga is the time-tested shastra of India.
Though many misunderstand Yoga as only practice of Asanas and Pranayam but it is a way of life based on Ekatma Jeevan Darshan. (based on vision of Oneness) As Yoga is a way of life it has to be reflected, practiced, lived in life. Family is the best place to inculcate this way of life-based on Oneness.
Yoga is joining/union of Atma to Paramatma. It is not like joining two separate pieces together. Yoga is that practice by which one realizes that everything is One. The body is but a temporary instrument of the Atman. The Atman, real Self is always there, unaffected, blissful and unchangeable though body is changed in every birth. To realize this, to be one with Atman (called variously as Ishvara, Paramatman etc.) is Yoga. This can be understood at intellectual level but to experience it, a long and continuous practice is required. That practice is called Yogabhyas.
A Yogabhyasi (practioner of Yoga) is either trying to establish in one’s own Self or he has to be interacting with the external world, nature to take care of his needs and obligations. The first state is called as Samahita Avastha and second state is called Vyutthana Avastha. In Samahita Avastha (Inward/concentrated State) he has to quieten his mind to experience the Atman and in Vyutthana Awastha (Outward/ Active State) to acquire purity of mind, he has to employ his body-mind complex in the service of the Atman, manifested in expanding circles like family, society, nation and whole creation.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Yuva Bharati.
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This story is from the July 2020 edition of Yuva Bharati.
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