Kriti Kailashi*
Yoga and meditation include a group of physical, mental and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated in ancient India. Yoga is a holistic way of energising and integrating our mind, body and spirit.
This ancient knowledge made applicable for modern times can be easily added to our daily routine resulting in a lasting experience of our true inner power and overall well-being. Yoga and meditation is a complementary health practise that is often considered a natural form of medicine.
The art of practising yoga and meditation helps in controlling an individual’s mind, body and soul. It brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body and mind. It helps manage stress and anxiety and keeps you relaxed. It also helps in increasing flexibility, muscle strength and body tone. It improves respiration, energy and vitality.
Practising yoga might seem like just stretching, but it can do much more for our body from the way we feel, look and move. Man is a physical, mental and spiritual being; yoga and meditation help promote a balanced development of all three aspects.
Most people understand that meditation reduces stress and promotes peace of mind. As we allow our minds to settle on one continuous thought, instead of being pulled in all directions, our stress level reduces. Other health problems like high blood pressure, irregular or high heartbeat, high pulse rate, abnormal breathing patterns and anxiety are also regulated. It also helps in concentration. Meditation is a great aid in regulating our minds.
The mind’s tendency is to think a lot and to be easily pulled in different directions depending on our personal likes and dislikes. When we pay attention to every unnecessary thought, we are drawn away from what is truly important.
Practising meditation helps us to gently ignore what is unnecessary and focus more on what is important. This gives us greater clarity and makes us faster and more capable of anything that we do. If we have ever laid our head on a pillow and then struggled for hours to sleep because of thoughts racing through our minds, then meditation is ideal for us. Worries of the day and the future will not trouble us, allowing us to sleep soundly.
When we wake up the next morning, we’ll feel lighter and fresher. Maintaining a balanced sleep cycle can help to eliminate many health problems. During the meditation process, where we are constantly focusing our attention on one thing, we learn to let go of unnecessary thoughts.
Meditation is a process of spending time with self and is a journey of self-discovery. By understanding ourselves, we are able to build our emotional resilience and tap into our inner intuition. Daily struggles and irritations will no longer impact us, as we remain centred in ourselves and the present moment.
One who is committed to balancing their mental energies is also a lot more energised. The positivity that we develop in our minds will give us the zest and enthusiasm to maximise our productivity throughout the day. When we feel calmer and happier, our relationships with people around us grow stronger.
*The writer is an MBA (2nd year) student.
