By, Dr. Shamanthakamani Narendran M.D.(Pead), Ph.D. (Yoga Science)

APPLICATION OF YOGA

The studentship of Sri Aurobindo in England only made him a master of Englis, Greek and Latin; training in Law helped Gandhi to give a concrete shape to Ahimsa and Panchasheela, the key features of Hindu religion, as a tool to organise the society to relieve Mother Bharat from the shackles of slavery.

The genius of Eknathji Ranade located to holistic concept of yogam another name for spirituality in the words of Swami Vivekananda.

‘Each Soul is Potentially Divine.’

He could see the vision of Sri Aurobindo enunciating Integral yoga as furthering depth of Swamiji’s thoughts on yoga.

YOGA AND ITS STREAMS Swamiji said, 'Yoga is not only to be adopted

as a tool of man-making but also for nation-building'.

He also emphasised to use Jnana, Bhakti and Raja Yoga methods for all-round personality development at the physical, mental, emotional and intellectual levels.

And also to translate the same into action through Karma Yoga - Tyaga, Seva and Atmabodha are the threefold dimensions of Karma Yoga.

The first two, 'the twin ideals of our nation' are adequate tools for nationbuilding.

Atmabodha the third, the Jnana dimension of Karma Yoga, is needed to bring the holistic vision of 'Reality' to practical life.

Swamiji had said that Vedanta is not to be kept in books and scriptures, nor limited to scholars of reknown but should be brought down to everyday living - practical Vedanta for the masses, too.

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YOGA RESEARCH

Yoga is verifiable by scientific research as it is no dogma or blind faith. Eknathji, with a vision for future, inspired doctors to start a research wing of yoga which grew as VKYOGAS (now VYASA), 'One of the 4 premier yoga institutions in the country' in the words of the Secretary, University Grants Commission.

Starting from Yoga Therapy Research, the Yoga Foundation has spread its wings to several dimensions of modern life.

Quantum Physicists have started enlarging the scope of modern science by using consciousness-based approach, the essence of yoga, in contrast to the existing matter-based approach.

The scientists are clear, that the existing paradigm which assumes that matter is primary and mind etc. are its offshoots, has led to increasing number of paradoxes in physics and unexplainable things as mind-body healing, rebirth, ESP, psycho-kinesis.

Extensive research on Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Anxiety Neurosis, Eye-related diseases, Mental retardation, Cancer etc., has been done over the last 2 decades with over 50 research papers published in leading national & international medical research journals.

Nearly 75,000 patients of bronchial allergies, 1200 cases of Diabetes Mellitus, etc. have been treated very effectively by the integrated approach of yoga practices having its roots in Panca Kosa Viveka of Taittiriya Upanisat and Adhi-Vyadhi concept from Yoga Vasistha.

Long-term follow-up is a feature of our clinical research studies, as all these ailments of the modern era are extremely sensitive to changes in food, atmosphere, place, treatment modalities, etc.

Unless the course of the disease is studied with a long-range perspective, the total rehabilitation (cure) cannot be established.

Quantum Healing, Perfect Health, Ageless Body & Timeless Mind, etc. emerging from the pen of Dr Deepak Chopra, the most wanted man next to the President in USA, nearly a hundred hospitals are officially using yoga and yoga therapy for their patients; ten thousand teachers in UK, four major schools of yoga in Japan; large scale practice of yogasanas in Europe, Australia, etc, the global influence of yoga on Indian scene is no imagination.

With nearly 3000 teachers in 8 states of India, trained for introducing yoga in schools by VYASA itself, 5 University Centres of VYASA starting certificate and diploma courses in yoga and 5 major schools of yoga in India joining hands and working in coordination with mutual respect, have started making a good impact of yoga in the whole country.

The Dimensions of yoga research in a nutshell is encompassing almost all aspects of modem society as found through the research papers presented in the various (so far 15) International Conferences on 'Frontiers in Yoga Research and its' Applications' organised by VYASA at their Headquarters at Prasanti Kutiram, Bangalore.

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YOGA AND EDUCATION

Yoga has the ability to fill the vacuum in modern education which is essentially left brainoriented.

As Swami Vivekananda had envisioned, we should not be satisfied with information-gathering and bread-earning education.

He said, 'Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man'.

To build an all-round (4-fold) personality - physical, mental, emotional and intellectual with a spiritual basis and 4-fold consciousness - civic sense, patriotism, service zeal and spiritual urge, should be the goal of education. To translate this vision to action, the Yoga Research wing has done extensive research.

Research on yoga has shown that the right modules of yoga practices can develop the right brain, eyesight, hearing, speech, memory (audio, visual, audiovisual, short and long-range IQ), creativity and culturing the emotions which can develop, nation-building features in the students.

YOGA FOR THE CORPORATE WORLD

The fourth dimension of yoga research concerns itself with the problems of the corporate world.

Target oriented, profit-motivated and highly competitive scenario have no doubt brought great achievements in the era of technology with air travel, television, computers, the latest internet and web have started translating the vision of a 'global village' to a reality.

If 'Sanjaya' could see through his divine vision sitting in the palace what was developing in the war field, technology has made it possible for everyone sitting in their houses to see what is happening round the globe.

Yet, the horrors of the massive technological stir with great speed, (as Samudra Manthana) has brought the Halahala (poison) in the form of STRESS, encompassing the whole world from top to bottom including modern little kids complaining of tension and boredom to their moms and papas.

The multidimensional answer is yoga, eliminating the causes of stress as physical strain and traumas, mental restlessness, emotional upsurges and deep-rooted psychological (intellectual) conflicts.

A simple module of SMET, conducted in various industries encompassing more than 25,000 executives, workers and women in the industrial atmosphere has very well-established the efficacy.

A Holistic Systems Management adding dimensions of health, growth and contributions to society; all worked out systematically with data acquisition and its analysis, has given a whole new dimension, a spiritualistic approach, if you like, to the concept of the TQM way for quality products and services.

Many research publications of VYASA have added strength to this application of yoga to the corporate world.

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OTHER APPLICATIONS OF YOGA

Yoga has proclaimed to help the slow learners, mentally retarded, blind, children in orphanages, remand homes, prisoners, etc.

Thousands of addicts have given up smoking, alcohol and drugs, thanks to the practice of kriyas, asanas, breathing practices and meditation.

The Best of the East is the magnificent thoughts contained in the ancient scriptures, their emphasis on spiritualism in living lives.

The Best of the West was the wholly analytical scientific research based on empirical analysis, application of technology derived from such research to make material life more comfortable.

Thank You