Yoga,'The elixier of life'                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
 As a yoga practioner, often I am asked the question ,’’Why should we practice yoga and not some other rigorous exercise?’’

 To this I answer, yoga is a way of life and one can’t compare it with any other exercise like going to gym, swimming etc. Doing yoga does not stop one from perusing some other exercise. It will only compliment it.

  The feeling when one finishes the morning session of yoga is a very calm and blissful one. One is ready to take on the day. An hour of concentration on our body and breath develops control. We are able to take up the challenges of the day with calm mind.

 Day by day one finds becoming more energetic which brings about an attitudinal change. That is the reason yoga person raves over it to the point of madness.

 Yoga improves once posture which is the main cause for all our joint pain etc. When the anatomical part is not in its position and is constantly being compressed due to wrong posture like drooping shoulder, hunch back etc, pain develops in such areas.

  With posture correction, one starts breathing better as one walks, sits, stands tall, one feels healthier.

 With asanas and pranayama one can become focused in body and mind; union of body and mind is [YOGA].

Agitating thoughts and activity makes one restless leading to tension in every part of the body and mind which in turn leads to faster breathing rhythm and suffering.

The modern way of life leads to stress. The pressure of work, commuting, balancing family and work and the craze to earn more and more is the cause of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, hyper tension, spondylitis and many other ailments in the younger generation, of people in their thirties and forties. The physical manifestation of stress is inflexible muscles in legs, neck, back, pelvic region jaw or some other area. One may not even notice the discomfort till the pain becomes unbearable leading to poor sleep, loss of temper, anxiety and pessimism. If stress persists for long it leads to migraine, cardiac problem etc.

    To avoid all these multifarious problems, Indian scriptures          has given Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra dating 200 BC. In the               guidance of a Guru if practiced, yoga leads to liberation from       pain and sorrow.

  Yoga is for a person who eats satvik food   in moderation, not       for him who starves or binges himself. It is not for him who       sleeps too much nor for him who sleeps at odd time or late.           That means one should observe moderation in rest, food              and activity .Along with the asanas and pranayama one can         get rid of pain . By constant practice, one can control the              body and  mind.

   What are the obstacles to yoga practice?

       Patanjali gives nine impediments to yoga.

            Illness,  dullness, doubts, carelessness, fatigue,                             distraction, wrong perception, lack of conviction and                    instability.

   How does one overcome them?

     1 .Illness- practice simple asanas and pranayama at least for           a   little while. If immobile, then sit on the bed and do                        pranayama.

     2. Dullness- can be overcome by not giving up but by                      perusing the practice which will lift the fog.

    3.-Doubts-one gets a doubt, if it will work? Am I doing it                  right? You can overcome them by practicing and finding            out.

    4. Carelessness-some people let other things take priority.                  Changing habits and patterns by doing yoga cures one of            this.

     5. Fatigue-Straighten your schedule, instead of coffee, rest               or relax and do relaxation yoga.

    6. Inability to resist distraction- yoga helps in resisting                       distraction by constant practice. One’s resistance grows.

    7. Erroneous perception- Try to understand yoga instead of            condemning it.

    8.  Lack of conviction- Some people have the habit of                       hopping from one cure to another, like homeopathy then             Aurveda, yoga etc.

         Instead practice one with conviction.

     9. Instability- Due to age or disease instability comes. By                 practicing yoga any activity like walking, breathing etc it           is cured.

        Following a regular regime of yogasana and pranayama               drives away all the impurities from the body and mind               and one is filled with vigor and drive to pursue a happy               life.

       The body and mind works in harmony which is the elixir of         life.

       No doubt United  Nation in recognition has declared 21^st              June as Yoga day.