I grew up in a household where yoga was a part of our day to day life. It was nothing fancy, it was just something we did. My father practiced yoga at home and we as children just learned how to do it. I have seen the book of BKS Iyengar at home since my childhood. Other than that there was nothing much, no guru, no ashram, no teacher, nothing. But the scenario has changed completely. The world has taken up yoga, it sounds so complex now. So, even though I grew up with yoga, I still think these are yoga thoughts of a novice.
I think the roots of yoga grew at my home because my father once fell seriously ill. I was really small then. I have very faint recollection of his illness. It was after this he developed an interest in yoga. But as I was very young when I learned it, yoga has no link with pain for me! I started doing it because I saw others doing it around me!
As a child I was extremely flexible and it was fun twisting and turning in various ways, Chakraasana, Halasana, Padmasana all were a child’s play for me, well, because I was a child. But then I grew up.
Gradually yoga went out of my life. My husband still does a few asanas regularly. I am not a morning person, when I wake up the day is already advanced. By evening I can hardly find a time when I have not munched on something for 2-3 hours at a stretch! Hence yoga has taken a backseat!
And when I looked again the whole yoga narrative became so umm complex! The West took to yoga with a vigor! What used to be a household practice is now taught by certified teachers! There are courses that offer 200 hour yoga teacher training. But the discourse sounds fragmented in many ways!
My Facebook friend Linda is someone who constantly talks about yoga. For her yoga is a way of living. I read her thoughts and discourse with interest as she has something relevant to say! I envy her big time when she posts her yoga pictures, though she does it rarely.
And from there I sense that yoga is a big industry now, branded and instagrammed. I should not complain though, so is travel. I remember at one point I got so afraid of yoga, the dos and don’ts associated with it that I almost thought of giving up on it completely. Then I read a sane advice (though I can’t remember where) yoga is not going to harm you even if you did something incorrectly.
So, yoga became from something that was part of my daily life to something that is almost alien and exotic. But I need to make my peace with it and soon!
My all time fav is Sabashana ???????? we had yoga classes in school and college so their was no escape.
I try to do yoga daily but like you am not a morning person ????
I should take inspiration from it, not being morning person and doing yoga like you Swati!
Gradually yoga went out of my life. My husband still does a few asanas regularly. I am not a morning person, when I wake up the day is already advanced. By evening I can hardly find a time when I have not munched on something for -3 hours at a stretch! Hence yoga has taken a backseat! Powerful post about Yoga , the Indian “medicine” to the world !!
Thank you Yogi!
आम तौर पर भारतीय लोग कम कर रहे हैं और बाहर ख़ास तौर पर अमरीका में ज्य्यदा लोग कर रहे हैं. योगासन करो और स्वस्थ रहो. गोलियां कम खानी पड़ेंगी.
अपने विचार बांटने के लिए धन्यवाद हर्ष!
Hey, thanks for the mention! What a surprise!
It is but obvious!
Same feelings Mridula! I grew up doing yoga in school when not too many people in India were into yoga. I fell out of practice after school but have recently started learning from a friend and am thoroughly enjoying the experience!
Keep it up Chaitali!
Yoga heels so many problems in our body! We try to incorporate yoga along with our regular workouts, but laziness kicks all these plans to the corner sometimes! When we were kids we knew only about regular yoga but now due to its commercialization there are different terms used such power yoga, hot yoga etc!
Yes I get scared of yoga discourses now!
Yes, Yoga had been in many households previously, although in a subdued manner. Now, there are more refined ways and specially qualified yoga trainers to teach. Even I on many instances tried many books and CDs followed by a few days of practice and then finally retiring back to the lethargic, overweight Me. 🙁
Motivation, motivation, we have to find it from somewhere!
I can totally understand! Our school had these yoga sessions and it was fun doing it. But that was when I was a kid. Now it really looks complex and makes me wonder if I can flexible enough to do it!
True very true, 😀 Arun!
very nice….Yoga is the best medicine for healthy life……
Thank you Amul!
School had inculcated a fascination for Yoga in me. How I would want to be a regular with it but it hardly works out. All I do is the Vajra Asana – it is supposed to be great for digestion.
I am not even regular with that!
🙂
The West has completely screwed up the concept! Nothing better than what the Adi yogi taught! It can do wonders!
I just want to go back to it. 😀
I can so resonate to this. There is yoga then there is hot yoga, power yoga, hatha yoga, Iyengar yoga and I don’t know how many more . I am writing this comment just after a hot yoga session though 🙂
Hope the session was hot for you!
I do Pranayama but Asanas are a bit difficult for me. Have been planning to go to a teacher for years but can not due to the schedule
Sadhvi at least you are regular with Pranayam! Yoga will happen when it will be more feasible I am sure!
I know so much about Yoga that I can actually sleep while doing Yoga 🙂
😀 Now that is amazing 😀
You are lucky for imbibing a healthy lifestyle approach from early age. Loved reading the difference in approach.
Thank you Chaitali!
Yoga can have great effects when done diligently. But, lazy me… 😛
Same here Maniparna, lazy me 😀
I believe in Yoga and its powers. The kind of lifestyle we lead, it will be beneficial if we do yoga everyday. I try doing it on a daily basis.
Great Indrani, I need to try and do the same!
It is always dark at the foot of the light house……Yoga is becoming more popular outside India.
True Mahesh!
It doesn’t do harm –like — say you are doing a Shavasana and trying to relax and somebody slams a door and you get startled…? I always wondered if that be really bad for the system.
Isn’t it weird that something becomes cool only when the rest of the world has taken to it (even though it has had its birth on our soil)? 🙂
Yes Divya but luckily I knew of yoga from my childhood as my father was interested.
Yoga has its benefits both on the body and the mind.
I entirely agree with you!
My story is something similar.. Just that I took up to gym and kept yoga aside… But I started pranayam again and feel so good every day but it’s difficult to manage time in the morning and evening is impossible that I’m empty stomach 🙁
Same for me, I am hardly ever on an empty stomach in the evenings!