The word ‘yoga’ is parlance today, it is sold in packets, as incense sticks, as perfumes, as services in joints thronged by “health conscious, spiritual people”, in the west it is the next big thing after outsourcing from India. Today ‘yoga’ is a cooler alternative to gyming, but I guess kickboxing is a close second. The media also has given its fair share of attention to the eyeball capturing potential of ‘yoga’.... there are dedicated channels, over booked day camps covered 24x7 . Even ‘yoga’ masters turning into media magnets is now not that incomprehensible.... after all the TRPs are directly related to the valuation of a channel.
At a recent gathering of devout orange cloth clad ‘yoga’ patrons there was much discussion about the current state of Indian politics.... so much so that the facilitator, often between postures digressed to the recent 2G scan scam to hit the country, he vehemently spoke about the increasing petrol prices and even brandished a sheet containing names and account numbers of Indian politicians who have stashed away cash abroad. The event was an astounding success.
Do you believe that that is all there is to this science? Do you feel that eons ago Patanjali produced this divine literature, so that centuries later you could site on a Nike mat, sipping aloe vera health juice in a full air-conditioned weekends only ‘yoga’ class to cure your miserable backache which you probably got in spite of sitting on your ergonomically designed chair? Or do you believe that indigestion will disappear in a few days because you have signed up for a 10-day accelerated program with money back guarantee?
Was yoga all about an over the counter DVD or a week long free massage included getaway? Is the divine art being given its due importance?
Approaching yoga the way we do today is like using a jet engine to dry your hair.
In Sanskrit Yoga comes from the root ‘yug’ which mean to join. It is the ancient science of union of a soul with its creator, the end of separation, complete oneness with everything.... and yet nothing!
