SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF YOGA
M.B. Sharan
Ex-Professor of Psychology & Head
Department of Humanities & Social Sciences
IIT, KHARAGPUR
E-mail: mithilasharan@yahoo.co.in
What is Yoga?
Yoga is one of the most ancient cultural heritages of India. It is a systematic way of establishing connections among body, mind, and spirit. In a traditional sense, it is a technique to unite individual atma (Soul) with Parmatma (Universal Soul). In Sanskrit, the term "yoga" stands for "union". Therefore, the ultimate aim of yoga is to be able to attain this "union of the lower self to the higher Self" with the help of certain mental and physical exercises. It is a holistic way of living and healing, aimed at uniting the mind, body, and spirit. Today, it is an accepted practice throughout the world for improving physical fitness, mental clarity, self-understanding, and general well-being. It is an exercise in moral and mental cultivation that generates good health, contributes to longevity and the total intrinsic discipline culminates into positive and perennial happiness and peace. It is a science that affects not only the conscious self but the subconscious as well. It is a practical physiological training, which if practiced properly, can exalt man to the 'superconscious level'.
Developed in India about 5000 years ego, it is an ancient psycho-physical discipline which teaches about how to unite with the Absolute. It is the result of human wisdom and insight on physiology, psychology, ethics, and spirituality collected together and practised over thousands of years for the well-being of humanity. Credit goes to the Indian sage, Patanjali who made it popular and systematic by writing "Yog-Sutra" and summarizing the various aspects of yoga in the following eight limbs:
Yoga is thus an all-embracing way of life, a science of self-culture and mental discipline which ensures the purgation of the ignoble in man and brings forth what is most noble in him. It is pertinent to all people irrespective of his caste, creed, sex and religion. It can be beneficial to all -- the good and the bad, the sick and the healthy, the believer and the non-believer, the literate and the ignorant, the young and the old. A person may begin yoga at any age and can go on reaping its benefits.
Benefits of Yoga
The physical benefits: Creates a toned, flexible, and strong body. Improves respiration, energy, and vitality. Helps to maintain a balanced metabolism. Promotes cardio and circulatory health. Relieves pain. Helps one look and feel younger than of his age. Improves his athletic performance.
The mental benefits: Helps one relax and handle stressful situations more easily. Teaches about how to quiet the mind so that one can focus his energy where he wants it to go - into a difficult yoga pose, on the tennis court or golf course, or in the office. Encourages positive thoughts and self-acceptance.
The spiritual benefits: Builds awareness of his body, his feelings about the world around, and the needs of others. Promotes interdependence between mind, body, and spirit. Brings about a profound spiritual and social transformation. Helps in living the concept of "oneness" and enjoying peace and happiness in life.
Balancing the Three Entities: Body, Mind, and Spirit
Balance in life is one of the simplest concepts of healthy living, but it is also one of the most difficult to find. There is so much that threatens to pull us to one extreme or another -- it could be eating, investing time and energy, or relating to other people. Therefore, in order to have a healthy lifestyle, we need to maintain a balance among body, mind, and spirit.
A human being is a combination of body, mind, and spirit. The body is the physical residue of the soul's expression as the vibrational energy of the soul has been patterned by images created in the mind. Therefore, Edgar Cayce says rightly that "Spirit is the life, mind is the builder, and physical is the result." Creativity begins as pure energy, but changes by assuming a specific pattern. As a vibrational pattern, the energy contains information. The informational pattern has a way of working itself down from the very abstract, invisible level to the concrete, material level of reality. Thus, there is a continuous correspondence among body, mind, and spirit.
Body
Our physical body has three different types of systems: Physical, Sensory, and Energy. The physical body has eleven separate, yet interdependent, major physical systems. Many of these have sub-systems of their own. These systems are:
Digestive: This is the system that breaks down food and absorbs its nutrients. The digestive tract is a long system of tubes that run from the mouth to the anus. It includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. The liver and the pancreas manufacture special enzymes to help break down food.
Muscular: This system provides the body with movement. There are three types of muscle: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. Skeletal muscles attach to bones, and are voluntary - they are consciously controlled by the nervous system. Cardiac muscles cause the heart to pump blood and are involuntary.
Integumentary: The integumentary system includes skin, which provides sensory receptors and protects the body.
Excretory: This system gets rid of various body wastes. It includes the sweat glands (where the body excretes unnecessary salts), kidneys (which filter the blood), and urinary tract.
Reproductive: The reproductive system allows for the
continuation of life. Gametes from the male's sperm and the female's egg combine
to form a zygote--a unique combination of genes which no other human being has!
Circulatory: This is the system that our blood flows through. It carries
nutrients and oxygen to all the organs of the body, and carries away wastes.
Respiratory: The respiratory system provides the body with oxygen, and it
expels carbon dioxide from the body. The nasal passage, trachea, bronchial
tubes, lungs, and alveoli are involved in this process.
Skeletal: The skeletal system provides structure for the body and protection for the body's internal organs. Bones, ligaments, joints, and the skull are all parts of the skeleton.
Immune: The body's immune system fights disease. The lymphatic system is the main defense mechanism within this system. A liquid called lymph flows over the tissues and carries off harmful bacteria, which is filtered out in the lymph nodes.
Nervous: The brain, spinal cord, and nerves work together to coordinate the body's actions. Our senses are also part of this system, allowing us to see, taste, smell, touch, hear, and feel pressure and pain.
Endocrine: The endocrine system tells the body how to develop. It does that by releasing hormones that contain instructions to cells about how to grow. Hormones affect organs and glands by telling them how to operate. The nervous system and endocrine system usually work together.
Additionally, we have a sensory system that includes taste, touch, sight, feel, smell, equilibrium, and the less frequently talked about clairs. Clair is the French word for clear, and to some degree we all have clairvoyance or clear seeing; clairaudience or clear hearing; clairsentience or clear feeling; and Clair cognizance or clear knowing.
Similarly, we have energy system because our body is sustained by life force energy. The laws governing quantum physics demonstrate that everything in the universe is made up of vibrational fields -- the human body is no exception. Located on the mid-line of the body there are seven major transition points for the distribution of life force energy. These are known as chakras (energy stations). There are seven chakras in all: Root (Muladhara), Sacral (Svadhisthana), Solar Plexus (Manipura), Heart (Anahata), Throat (Vishuddha), Third Eye (Ajna), and Crown (Sahasrara). Energy travels from these stations on distribution paths that are similar to a highway system. They are known as meridians (energy pathways). The energy that travels through the meridians feeds all of the organs, glands, body systems, and sub-systems -- ultimately every muscle, nerve, tissue, and cell. Surrounding the outside of the body there are several electrical energy fields which are collectively referred to as the electromagnetic field; human energy field (HEF); or aura (energy shell).The chakras, meridians, and aura are intrinsically linked -- forming an intricate network that distributes life force energy. It is this complex system of energy transfer and distribution that is the focus of all energy-based therapies.
Mind
According to Vedanta, the mind is known as antahkarana (internal instrument) which perceives through five sense organs -- eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin - and acts through five organs of action -- the organ of speech, the hands, the legs, the organ of procreation, and the organ of evacuation. Thus, it recognizes different functions of the mind and thereby assumes that all these functions are possible only through the conscious mind. The power of consciousness, however, Vedanta says further, is not the built-in-characteristic of the mind. This comes from some higher source known as Soul, Atman or Self. Since mind is not the real perceiver or knower of the mental phenomenon, Vedanta differentiates between the mind and the Soul -- the mind as an object (the known) and the Soul as a subject (the knower). Anything that falls into the category of the known does not have consciousness as its very essence whereas the subject or knower does. Thus, there is one ultimate observer or experiencer, and that is the Soul. This is the reason why today many are of the opinion that there are three distinct factors of human personality -- the physical body, the mind, and the soul. They are vitally connected and though they appear to be one single entity, they are distinguishable. Thus, it can be safely concluded that one should not get caught by the words 'conscious', 'subconscious' and 'unconscious' parts of the mind because they are just to describe different functions of the same mind. Each of these is accessible to us in some way because they communicate with each other in their own way. This one mind, therefore, should be best known as the conscious mind.
We have seen what wonderful arrangements we have within us of mind and soul. Mind, which is like an instrument, is getting the power of consciousness from soul. That means our mind is functioning like a mirror which can perceive properly only when it is fully illuminated by our soul. Since soul, like sun, is throwing lights constantly on the mirror, it is for the mind to absorb them properly. If it is neat and clean, it will absorb better; otherwise, it will not be able to do so. In this sense, Vedanta rightly says that it is possible for us to make our conscious mind "Superconscious" which will perceive and judge things in a better way making use of all the information available in the so called subconscious and unconscious minds. Thus, for the development of the Superconscious Mind, we need to feed the conscious mind with rich food, nourish it regularly, strengthen it, and enrich it. According to Vedanta, "The richest soil, the soil of the human mind, lies fallow. If it could be tilled well it would yield golden crops, but since it lies fallow, it yields brambles and thorny bushes and weeds." Through the regular practice of yoga, it is possible to set aside the conscious mind and to have the experiences of the subconscious and the Superconscious Mind (Infinite or Universal Mind).
Spirit
The spirit is the vital principal in humans -- it is our very essence, our being, our soul. The spiritual part of humans is distinctly separate from the physical part. It is our inner self -- the unseen part of us. It is divine. Unlike the body and mind which are interdependent, it is a different entity, separable from the body. It departs from our physical body upon death. The soul's responsibility, in part, is to guide the personality (thinking, feeling, and will) to determine and fulfill its life's purpose. Many metaphysicians believe that illnesses and diseases begin in the emotional, mental, and spiritual energies that are in and around us. Therefore, a regular practice of yoga is the only holistic way of life that unites to the body, mind, and spirit for complete health and well-being.
Yoga as a Transformational Process
While people practice yoga for many reasons, everyone comes to realize its benefits of self-improvement and healing. Self-improvement is at many levels including intention, attitude, posture, breathing, archetypes, energy centres, concentration, locks and seals, psychological blocks, and emotions. Thus, there is a complete change in the personality of a person through yoga. Such changes are at least at four levels: physical health, mental health, social health, and spiritual health.
But apart from these changes at individual level, there are also changes at environmental and societal levels. Like a temple, the flavour of yoga starts influencing the people and the environment around. Since the eight aspects of yoga comprise a subjective art, science, and philosophy which covers the five layers of the human being: the anatomical, physiological, mental, intellectual and spiritual bodies, they also balance the ecosystem and environment of the elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether). These ethical principles sustain friendliness, compassion, and happiness all around. Similarly, the five principles of yama: non-violence, truthfulness, non-misappropriation, chastity, and non-possessiveness introduce universal ethical culture to be followed by one and all, irrespective of race, gender, colour, or climate. And those who go against yama face imbalances, not only in their family but also within the society and community. These imbalances become the cause of death to the Self, even while the person remains alive.
We are made of our ancestry -- earth, air, water, etc. But when we deny these origins due to our self-interests; we turn those elements into commodities rather than resources. We measure water in terms of its exportability, forests in terms of their cubic feet, and lands in terms of their real estate value. Through such unethical business practices, people have become "consumers" and commodities are categorized as "markets" or "sectors." At a psychological level, the self is also commercialized when it is treated as an object to be improved and perfected.
Thus, if we want to plant positive seeds in the mind and body, we need to do two things to change. First, we need to understand the causal relationship between our actions and the effects of our actions. Second, once sensitive to the devastating effect of our actions in the human and nonhuman world, we need practical skills for learning how to take action, especially when our minds are caught up in reactivity and distraction and are unable to touch the present moment. Yoga helps in doing both the things - understanding causal relationship between actions and effects and developing practical skills to remove the devastating effects by raising global consciousness.
How Global Consciousness is Raised through the Practice of Yoga
Primarily, transformation is a personal inner process. It starts first at the individual level. Then, it goes on spreading. A happy person makes his family happy; a happy family makes a happy community and society; and finally, a happy society makes a happy nation. This way yoga contributes to peace and sustainability at global level. Therefore, Swami Vivekananda gave the formula: "Be and Make." Here, the 'be' is the first thing that we have to do. That means, every one of us should start practising yoga first, and then should 'make' a determination of transforming ourselves from Tamas to Rajas and from Rajas to Sattva. And this transformation in all of us will lead to harmony, love, and peace in the society. This is something automatic based on the principle of quantum physics. In quantum physics it is very well known that if in a chamber there are molecules, normally they have the tendency to move here and there randomly. But by some process of magnetic induction when they are attracted to move, they start moving in that particular direction. Quantum physics also shows how we are all connected, how we are all One Being. It explains how Spirit and Matter interact and connect; how Mind and Matter do so as well. This way, we are creating everything ourselves. Now, we can understand how collective faith and right thinking work together as a powerful force and attract the mass to have a similar faith and confidence. It has been rightly said that even if one per cent of the population starts doing yoga properly, then all the other persons start moving in the same direction. This does not mean that all others will also start doing yoga but they are affected by the thoughts of yoga of harmony, peace, and love. Thus, there is a complete change in the society automatically through this global consciousness.
Actually, our body is made up of cells. These cells are in turn made up of molecules, which are made up of atoms, which are in turn made up of sub-atomic particles such as electrons. But we should keep in mind that though the atomic and larger particles look like objects or things, but they are not objects as such. They are both: wave-like and particle-like at the same time. This is the world of quantum physics where all that exists is ultimately energy, and the way in which energy manifests into recognizable form depends on its vibrational frequency. High frequencies are more effective transmitters than low frequencies, but they become less recognizable to the human senses. Matter can be seen as energy functioning at much lower frequencies. There is a level at which energy cannot exist in the material world, but it can exist in other dimensions of extremely high frequencies, as in another octave above the one we experience. This energy of quantum physics has a telepathic effect among atomic particles which express through their rotary action. It is there that the patterns of psychic energy and patterns of physical processes become 'One'. This 'One' in Vedanta is known as consciousness which is spread across time and space. The Bhagavad-Gita also says that as the sun alone illuminates this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminates the entire body by consciousness.
This is the reason why good thoughts, beliefs, ideas, etc. generated by yoga start influencing the world around in a positive way. In this sense, we are co-creators with God because all -- good and bad -- has been created by us. We, therefore, have the power to create good things and eliminate bad things by creating magnetic force of good intention as taught by yoga. And God is always with us in this kind of creation, if our intention is good.
Bibliography
Butera, R. (2010). The pure heart of yoga. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
Reed, H. (1968). Awakening your psychic powers. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks.
Stone, M. (2009). Yoga for a world out of balance. London: Shambhala.
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