Today yoga has become a world phenomenon. At the behest of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared June 21 as International Yoga Day. Yoga is an ancient science, more than 5,000 years old, which was devised by yogis who went to the Himalayas in search of answers to life and what lies beyond.
I learnt yoga under the guidance of my master, Sukhdev Brahmachari, for 14 years in the Himalayan mountains. Then, I pursued formal education and went on to complete my M Phil, PhD and D Sc in Yoga and Exercise Physiology. I have seen yoga evolve from being a spiritual methodology to an alternative means of therapy to being a form of fitness for the rich and famous. Yoga has become a part of the global culture being adopted by celebrities, athletes, corporates, schools and government organisations alike.
Yoga has now turned into a contemporary and relevant system that provides solution to modern lifestyle issues, such as stress, obesity, diabetes, back problems and the like. The medical fraternity acknowledges and recommends yoga as a lifestyle to tackle various health issues and also as rehabilitation in case of some diseases. A lot of research is being done worldwide to analyse and understand the benefits of practising yoga.
Today, many people looking for solutions for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing turn to yoga because it can be practised by anyone — from a child to a senior citizen.
The vision of yoga has always been the complete development of human being leading to the actualisation of his highest potential. Yoga can therefore span the segments of fitness, health and wellness.
When I came back from the mountains, I saw pot-bellied people practising yoga who wanted to pursue happiness, peace and tranquillity. I wanted to take yoga to one and all, including the youth, because when you begin yoga early in your life, you have the energy and ability to practise and achieve far more. That is when I thought to myself that the first step is to give people healthy and fit bodies before teaching them techniques of meditation and deeper aspects of yoga. Only a content and happy man can practise the art of meditation.
At Artistic Yoga, I have successfully combined the undiluted ancient practices of yoga with exercise physiology to deliver a format relevant to this day and age. Artistic Yoga emphasises on all aspects of fitness, which include flexibility, strength, endurance, balance and agility along with cardiovascular training and passive stretching. This has made the powerful science available to everyone, thus busting myths of it being valid only for the old or spiritually inclined.
I founded Artistic Yoga in 1999 in Delhi, the capital city of India, and then took to other major cities in the country. In my mission to make yoga global, I taught this ancient discipline in many countries including India, Middle East, Russia, United Kingdom, and parts of Europe and Central Asia. We have recently opened our centre in London and Japan and we will soon expand to China. My dream is to establish 500 yoga centres across the world to carry forward my master’s mission of taking yoga to everyone on this planet. My work is carried forward by a handful of committed teachers who are personally selected, trained and groomed by me.
Following is a simple yoga routine that can be practised every day to stay fit and stress-free.
Practice of the week
Start with a set of 12 surya namaskars (sun salutations) followed by:
Dwikonasana
Uthkatasana
Parvatasana
Ardha Matsyendra
Sharanagath Mudra
Relax in Shavasana (Corpse pose) for two minutes before you carry on with your day.
This is an interactive series, in which we will bring you practical tips
on daily living, inspired by the vision of yoga. Write in to tabloid@gulfnews.com with your questions and doubts regarding enhancing your lifestyle through yoga. For more information, call 800-YOGA (9642) or log on to artisticyoga.com
