Cover Story : The Complete Lifestyle

Generally for people Yog means asanas and pranayama which are done to keep the body fit. But Yog is not just some exercise or Therapy. It is a way of life based on Ekatmata i.e., Oneness of existence. Existence is interconnected, interrelated and interdependent as it is expression of one Chaitanya called variously as Ishwara, Parmatma and Power etc. Today ecology and science also have realised this interconnection, interrelation and interdependence of the existence.
But since last few centuries man is under the influence of ideas like individualism at the cost of social obligations and sensual enjoyment at the cost of development of inner being. The impact of this is seen in the disintegration of families, societies and depletion of nature etc.  
In this context of all-round disintegration, Yog—the integration—has become a necessity. Yog in essence is the integration of, body, mind, intellect with the Self, individual with the family, the family with the society, the society with the nation and the nation with the whole creation.
The meaning of Yog is Yujyate anena iti Yogh—Yog is a process of joining. Yog is joining/union of Atma to Parmatma. It is not like joining two pieces together.
Yog is that practice by which one realises that everything is One. The body is but a temporary manifestation of the Self. The real Self is always there, unaffected, blissful and unchangeable. To realise this, to identify with this blissful Self is Yog. This can be understood at intellectual level but to experience it long and continuous practice is required.
Some say that Yog was started by Maharishi Patanjali. But Yog is mentioned even in Vedas. Hiranyagarbha – the first manifested form of Ishwara taught Yog to Vivasvan and he taught it to Manu and from Manu it was taught to many worthy men and women. Or in Shaiva tradition it is told that Yog comes to us from Bhagvan Shiva. There is mention of many Yogis and Yoginis in our Puranas and Itihasas like Ramayan and Mahabharat. Maharishi Patanjali collected, compiled and edited the existing knowledge of Yog in his time, based on his own experience and sadhana of Yog. Thus he gave us Yog to be practised in eight ways.  If our real Self is blissful then why do we not perceive it? If, everything is the expression of the One, then why don’t we always feel that Oneness?
The way to remove these impurities or to stop the Vrittis is to practice eight Angas of Yog. A tested science to realise the oneness is ‘Yogshastra’. These are not eight steps but eight angas means we should practice all the eight regularly. The eight angas  are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayam, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
The practice of Yog is two-fold antaranga and bahiranga. One is to realise the Divine Self. Second is to employ the body-mind complex in the service of the manifested Self that is family, society, nation and the whole creation. Both are essential as they strengthen each other.
This two-fold practice of Yog is required to really help the humanity to progress further spiritually. We being the custodians of this great way of life we would have to first practice it so as to guide the whole world.     
Nivedita Bhide