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A Yogic Approach To Life Style Disorders

“Behind every sick man, there is a spiritual man. Behind a diabetic, there is a yogi. Behind a man suffering from depression, there is an aspirant.”

– Swami Satyananda

Today we have got so entangled in worldly affairs that we have no time for ourselves. We are all running an endless race blindfolded, which has neither any direction nor any goal. Fuelled by desires and temptations, this is a race of modernisation with the only aim to beat all others. This mentality is resulting in a variety of diseases both physically and mentally. Socially also, the relationships are deteriorating. And, thus, the door for the spiritual upliftment is ‘invisible’ to the individual. We need to step out of this mad race and have to look into our own beings. We need to understand ourselves, introspect and change our thought processes. Only then can our lives become simple, easy, happy and completely healthy.

The cause of disease, according to yoga, is the imbalance. The imbalance may be due to ecology, lifestyle, diet, mind or thinking pattern. The concept of disease is found in Yogavasistha. According to this text, modern diseases such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and anxiety are called ‘adhya vyadhi’ (stress borne diseases). They arise from our actions that are governed by our emotions – the pull of senses knowing fully well that we are going against what is right. This is Prajnaparadha (crimes against wisdom) in Ayurveda – a mistake at the level of inner consciousness which causes an unbalance, a disease at the Manomaya Kosha(mind-sheath) called ‘Adhi’. The physical imbalance is the cause of physiological ailments and diseases. Mental imbalance arises from conflict and emotional tension. There is also spiritual imbalance, when the mind is too extroverted, seeking pleasure, satisfaction, and peace outside.

To find out the solution, we have to face towards yoga and alternative therapies. We have to understand the concept of prana. Prana is the life force. We are born with a stock of ‘prana’ programmed to last for a full life span of one hundred years or even more. We go on spending a small part of it for all our day to day activities. With the fast lifestyle of the modern living studded with hypersensitized emotional surges and suppressions, we burn out the prana much faster. The prana stock that had to last for a hundred years is being used up and hence the problems of aging show up at an earlier age. This concept of aging is being understood today as genetic programming of the cell. This includes programming of the rate of destruction and regeneration of cells.

Diseases are multi-dimensional, so, we need to tackle them not merely with physical symptomatic treatment measures. The whole man/woman has to be treated. And then only can there be a lasting remedy to our problems of the modern era. The answer lies in the holistic approach to Yoga therapy and alternative therapies that provide techniques for correcting the problems at both the physical and subtle levels. Yogic practices help in bringing balance at all the levels of the body(gross, subtle and causal) so that holistic health can be restored. There is a growing awareness today about the efficacy of alternative medicines for the maintenance of good health and for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Surveys show that at least one-third of people in America use yoga and alternative medicines in some form or the other at present. #Yogasanas, yogic diet, and yogic kriyas include for physical health. For the mental health, the practices are meditation, swadhyay, and satsang. Turning towards nature accompanying with Karma yoga, Gyan yoga and Bhakti yoga together builds healthy social and spiritual health.