YOGA: The Union of Body, Mind, and Soul

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Today is celebrated as International Yoga Day. In modern times, the term ‘yoga’ resonates to most people as physical stretches, exercises and postures that stabilize the body. While it is certainly an important part of the practice of yoga, in essence it is much more than that! The fundamental meaning of yoga is a union of body, mind and soul. The asana, or posture practice, is purely a gateway in the process. As you strengthen your body, you are able to steady your mind into meditation. It is a daily practice to reach out to your spiritual being and merge with the divine. This seems like an impossible goal to achieve; nevertheless even the smallest steps you take are unmitigated and provide you daily peace. A momentary bliss while meditating that I have occasionally experienced gives such a clarity that I yearn to get there more.

Yoga starting from the physical asanas to ‘dharana’ (one-point concentration) and ‘dhyana’ (meditation) raises a person’s capabilities a thousand-fold. That lucid state of mind removes any tainted thoughts from worldly likes and dislikes and helps you improve your own human sensibility. In today’s world, where material desires and focus on outward physiques and appearances dominate our lives, anxiety, depression, time pressure, and stress are widespread. Yoga provides a step by step protocol starting from the body, to the mind and ultimately to your spirituality, thus enhancing your individual ethicality and benevolence. You automatically work towards humility, calmness, confidence, grounding, purity, wisdom and most importantly peace!