Meditation is like exercise

The term 'Yoga' has been derived from the Sanskrit word, 'Yuj' which means union. It
can be explained as the union of the mind and the body to achieve perfect harmony at the
most profound level. it helps us to reach a higher level of consciousness, thought a
transformation of the psychic organs.

Yoga has no specific religious connotations. Its appeal is universal and is practiced by
many. The Upanishads, the Mahabharata, including the Bhagavadgita, Jainism and
Buddhism accept yogic practices. The 'Yoga Sutra' of Patanjali is the oldest text book of
yoga. It was written during second century and became very popular. It developed as one
of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy, often associated with the Samkhya
school.

Yoga is a methodical effort to attain perfection through the control of the different
elements of human nature, physical and psychical. yoga has two firms bases. They are the
physical and the spiritual. On the physical side, there are asanas, kriyas, bandhs and
pranayams, besides the mudras. A proper practice of these exercise prepares the body and
the mind of yoga practitioner to make spiritual progress.

The spiritual aspect is basically the control of the mind and self-development, but also
with direct control of the inner energy, i.e., pranayam. Pranayam is one of the most
important features of yoga. This is mainly the regulation of 'breath' when one inhales air
from one part of the nose and exhales it from the other. Swami Ramdev, the famous yogi,
claims that a regular practice of pranayam can prevent and cure fatal disease like cancer,
heart ailments, diabetes, blood pressure, liver disorders and series gynecological
problems.

Today, yoga has evolved almost as an alternative system of medicine. More and more
people are learning and doing it regularly. By practicing yoga systematically they have
gained a lot. Moreover it is not costly and has no side effects. One the contrary, many of
the allopathic medicines like strong antibiotics, pain killers are very costly and have
innumerable side effects.

The best time for a yoga schedule and pranayam is early morning. One can enjoy the
fresh air, full of oxygen during this period. The surroundings are conducive for yoga and
mediation as it is generally quite and peaceful in the morning. Moreover, this is the time,
when mind and the body feel fresh after a sound sleep. Even doctors suggest that the
morning is the best time for exercise and brisk walking.

The yoga realizes that our body has a dignity of its own, as much as the mind. Asana or
posture, is a physical help from concentration. We must settle ourselves down in a
convenient posture before we begin to mediate. Patanjali mentions that the posture must
be firm, pleasant and easy.

There are a large number of asanas in yoga. All of them require utmost dedication and
discipline on the part of the practitioner. The advice of a yoga teacher or a guru should
always be taken to practice the different asanas. Even diet should be controlled according
to the practitioner's age and ailment. One also has to give up bad habits, like, addiction to
alcohol, drugs, smoking etc. It requires an optimum discipline in life to practice yoga.
Each asana are Padmasana, Trilokasana, Shalabhasana, Bhujangasan, Dhanurasana,
Halasana, Sarvangasana, Chakrasana, Vajrasana, Shavasana etc.

Mediation, when practiced along with yoga, enhances our concentration and relaxes the
mind. Yoga mediation practices enable people to lift themselves to higher levels of
consciousness. One of the most effective aids to spiritual progress is to hold one's
attention calmly at the point between the eyebrows. Modern neuroscience has revealed
that when one's energy and attention are strongly focused in the fore brain, it is
impossible to be carried away by negative emotions. By controlling and relaxing the
breath, we can influence the mind to become clam.

Meditation can be practiced any where. While meditating, one must sit straight or in a
yogic posture. eh should always keep his eyes closed, so that along with the body and
mind, the eyes also get some rest. All great philosophers like, Buddha, Mahavir,
Ramakrishna Paramhansha emphasized on the practice of meditation for the purification
of the mind and the should.

Different forms of yoga have been described over the ages. For instance, the 'Hatha Yoga'
leads to reintegration of our soul through the control of the body and vital energies,
especially the breath. This 'Hatha Yoga' is also used in performing traditional dance and
music.

Yoga can be considered as a panacea for innumerable aliments. It can strengthen our
body and provide immense metal power and stability. It can virtually awaken a new
consciousness in a person and mould his entire personality. Yoga has no barriers of age,
caste, religion or sex. However one must always ensure that all the yogic postures and the
breathing exercises must be done correctly. By doing this, one will realize a striking and
positive transformation in one's mindset and life style.

A team of scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles said that meditation may
slow the worsening of AIDS in just a few weeks, perhaps by affecting the immune
system. They tested a stress-lowering programme called mindfulness meditation, defined
as practicing an open and receptive awareness of the present moment, avoiding thinking
of the past or worrying about the future. The CD4 counts were measured before and after
the two months programme. This study provide the first indication that mindful
meditation and stress-management training can have a direct impact on slowing HIV
disease progression. This mindfulness programme is a group-based and low-cost
treatment, and if this initial finding is replicated in larger samples, it is possible that such
training can be used as a powerful complementary treatment for HIV disease, alongside
medications.

Finally, Yoga is universal. The birth place of Yoga may be India, but it is for all,
irrespective of religion, gender, nationality and language. It is meant to improve health
and spread happiness.