By Dr. N. Ganesh Rao

21st June is declared by United Nations Organization (UNO) as the International Day of Yoga with the slogan, “Yoga for Peace and Harmony”. This declaration is a formal acknowledgement of the universality as regards acceptance and popularity of Yoga all over the world. This declaration is a feather in the cap of India as regards its national and ancient heritage that is Yoga. When all the Institutes / Schools and practitioners of Yoga in the country are preparing for celebrating the International Day of Yoga in their own ways following the Common Yoga Protocol laid down by the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, it is in order to take a perspective as regards the essence and efficacy of Yoga.

Essence of Yoga

Yoga is one of the six (Shad Darsana) aastika or orthodox Indian philosophies which, like the other five philosophies, aims at liberating man ultimately from the miseries and sufferings (dukha) of human existence. It is a Moksha Shastra and hence the final goal of all Yoga practices is Moksha (spiritual freedom) or Kaivalya. On the path towards this goal all the dimensions of human personality are benefited – these dimensions being social, personal, physical, physiological, mental, psychological, intellectual and spiritual. Hence, on the path of Yoga the total personality of the human being is developed. But this development of the personality is a means to the final goal of Kaivalya and not an end in itself. To put it differently, personality development or physical and mental health are bye products on the path of Yoga and not the ultimate purpose of Yoga practices. Hence, being attracted to Yoga for making the body beautiful or fit or getting health benefits or relief from ailments (which is what is happening today) may be under-utilizing the potential of Yoga, if not misusing Yoga. It has to be recognized that the true spirit of yoga lies in its preventive aspect rather than its therapeutic aspect. Yoga, as practiced in ancient times, is a lifestyle and not a style of life!

Efficacy of Yoga

Yoga practices yield unimaginable positive effects and without any adverse effects! They cater towards both, health and healing, in the empirical world. There is hardly any other discipline or regimen which caters to the total personality of human being as Yoga does. Practicing of Yogic principles, which is the same as ‘being Yogic’, renders one conflict-free in society. It makes the body beautiful, fit and healthy. Mind becomes peaceful and calm and intellectually sharper. With increasing awareness levels resulting from practicing Yoga an individual is unburdened of his heavy conditioning and rigid habit patterns. He is able to take more from the moment and ultimately more from life. The Yoga practitioner does experience glimpses of the “peace that passeth all understanding”.

Realization of Essence and Efficacy of Yoga

The most significant condition for realizing the essence of Yoga and enjoying the efficacy of its practices is that the practitioner needs to practice (abhyasa) Yoga for prolonged period with perseverance, without any break and with full faith and respect towards it.