Yoga is essentially an ancient and proven science, having its origins in the Vedic seers and sages who, through their own intuitive experiences, have discovered and documented the laws of life, nature, time and human consciousness. The core purpose of true yoga is not about stretching the body into absurd postures or practicing some physical exercises. Rather the essence of yoga is the union of the human spirit with the universal consciousness; the reunion of the finite with the Infinite; the realisation of our Oneness with all of existence; and the experience of the perennial bliss that permeates all objects and beings.
The Power of Yoga
Yoga is a system of self-discovery and upliftment, which aims at building a healthy body, establishing harmony between body and mind, and uplifting the mind to experience that supreme consciousness within, which is the source of all creation. These three stages of yoga are developed to capacity by the practice of Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga respectively. In these modern times, when the entire world is coming closer and globalisation is bringing different communities into close contact, the necessity has come to build a congenial atmosphere on earth. In such a growing atmosphere of community awareness, Yoga becomes an important potent force. Yoga has the power to eliminate the negative effects of violence and terrorism and create a new atmosphere of brotherhood and affinity amongst the nations of the world.
The Need of Yoga Education
It provides a mental framework through which we can create an ideal world of shared values of love, peace, and understanding. In the process of restoring world harmony, it becomes imperative to provide our children with value education. Education of Yoga can effectively enrich school education by integrating the body-mind-spirit complex and helping to promote the physical, emotional, and social growth of the children. It can also contribute towards making our student community healthier, more competent, and value-oriented. A true understanding of Yoga is essential for a brighter future of our society. Yoga can serve as an entry point to a new worldview, a sense of interconnectedness at all levels, a recognition of the unity underlying physical diversity, and a celebration of the oneness in humankind’s quest for truth—the One Beyond the many.
Yoga education, even though it is an ancient science, is a modern concept that has gradually emerged in recent decades, alongside a rising demand for study of Yoga in educational environments. Over recent years, Yoga education initiatives have emerged in a number of institutions across the world with diverse approaches and motivations. These projects may vary in their procedural dynamics and their envisioned long-term impact. Motivation for implementing Yoga in school programmes have, amongst many others, a desire to prevent issues such as bullying, violence, substance abuse, prevent sexual abuse, overpopulation within classrooms, create a peaceful environment, internal and external peace, create a better climate for learning by controlling mind and emotions, increase focus, concentration, motivation and self-discipline both in the students and teachers; promote physical health, pain management, support people with ADHD, anxiety or panic disorders, autism spectrum disorders or mood disorders, increase relaxation, support self-awareness, social development, lower health costs for the government, and the government’s educational objectives by supplementing physical education. Numerous studies and meta studies have shown that many of these interventions and programmes, focussing on one or all the above-mentioned aims, have successfully contributed to improving students’ quality of life, self-awareness, health, emotional well-being, behaviour, social competence, academic performance, attention, focus, concentration, as well as teacher-student relationships while decreasing aggression, absenteeism, behaviour problems, anxiety levels, cigarette and drug use, depression, hyperactivity, and stress.
Yoga: A Way of Life
Yoga education is a way of life. It is a science that guides and teaches us through the many levels of the learning experience. It helps to shed light on individual and collective capacities, and move towards the emergence of human beings that are not only intelligent, but also responsible and sensitive. It fosters the capacity to think deep, to feel, and to care about the whole and contributes towards making our planet a haven for peace, happiness, truth, and beauty. Yoga is a sacred practice that has a profound and unique purpose for human well-being and spiritual growth. As a holistic approach, yoga considers the human being in the context of the whole. It views the mind, body and soul as inseparable parts of a complete being. When yoga is taught correctly, in an authentic and sincere manner, the teacher-student relationship is nurtured and the practitioner benefits on all levels.
There are many possible professional paths within the world of Yoga Education. Teachers, Mindfulness Educators, Ayurvedic Practitioners, Yoga Therapists, and others; all with varying skill sets and approaches, connected through the foundation of Yoga. When diving deep into the world of service through Yoga, one might be longing for one specific niche. However, carving your own path and exploring all that is out there is a wonderful adventure that hopefully leads each person to a well-deserved and long-lasting career. Here are some guiding principles and ideas that can assist on this journey.
Apart from economics, yoga teachers have high job satisfaction that comes from seeing a change in their students and knowing they are doing something meaningful with their lives. The profession also fosters lifelong learning, since yoga is a constantly evolving discipline that combines ancient knowledge with contemporary science. With more universities introducing BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees in yoga, teachers now have means to become researchers, academicians, and writers as well.
