We all need to lead a healthy, prosperous and disease-free life. But now in this modern scenario, we suffer due to faulty lifestyle, defective body posture and heavy use of modern appliances as well as lack of a strong determination for continuous efforts to keep fit and fine. Since the last month, we, almost all the people except doctors, healthcare workers, cops and social workers, are spending 24x7 at home. And the students have been confined indoors for over forty-five days due to the corona pandemic. It is high time we knew our strengths, weaknesses, ambitions and needs.
Everyone is trying to find the solution by rushing to doctors even facing a slight physio-psychological disorder. In the following days, we are taking interest in workouts, physical activities or exercises.
It may be gym, yoga, walking, etc. At present, the habits and diseases of people are such that doctors are advising frequent physical activities and a bit of medication. In the beginning, we buy new sports shoes and tracksuits, search a park nearby and search for a companion or group of companions. But eventually, the interest depletes. After two to three days, we start developing this underhanded, sly attitude. We start cheating ourselves, to get relief after swallowing a pill. We try to convince ourselves by making excuses, for instance ‘I didn’t get enough sleep last night’ or ‘I came home late last night’ or ‘I am feeling feverish’ or ‘I feel a migraine crashing in my head’ and others.
In this pandemic, it’s big time to acknowledge ourselves, our resolutions, our conceptions and our outlooks. If the lockdown ends, it won’t be safe for us to resume our lifestyles like before. This situation is not that of a flood or cyclone so that it will end just after a few hours or days. This is a global health crisis; and it will definitely take time to normalise. Let’s commence the day with certain resolutions to correct our lifestyles, maintain a healthy body, attain the wellbeing of mind and harmonise the emotions by adopting yogic lifestyle.
Regular practice of Surya Namaskar revitalises the whole body by loosening all the joints and muscles, massages the internal organs, helps to tone all the systems of the body. Being an excellent antidote, it also removes all the emotional disorders.
It is a complete practice with physical posture, breathing awareness, mantra, meditation and relaxation. One full round of Surya Namaskar consists of twenty-four positions, which influences the health of the whole body. Exercising the entire body, it bends the body forwards and backwards, strengthens the arms and legs, stretches as well as compresses the abdominal muscles, etc.
It increases the perspiration and encourages the elimination of toxins from the body. Therefore, one should supplement the daily practice of Surya Namaskar by drinking plenty of fresh water.
Every day, a minimum six rounds of its practice should be done followed by relaxation in Savasana.
Savasana is a scientific method which induces optimum relaxation of the body and the mind.
Then, a few rounds of Bhramari Pranayama relieve stress and cerebral tension.
Increasing the healing capacity of the body, it helps in alleviating anger, anxiety and insomnia.
During this practice, the vibration of the humming sound withdraws the awareness inwards by harmonising the mind and induces a meditative state.
Finally, to end the session, one needs to sit down in silence for five minutes, which stabilises the nervous system by increasing the Alfa waves in the brain with relaxed awareness, positive thinking, non-anxious and tension-free state. A healthy outside starts from a healthy inside.
(Dr Swain is Assistant Professor, Department of Yogic Science, Sri Sri University, Odisha. Contact number: 7894424506)