Yoga means ‘to join’. Joining of soul with supreme soul or God. The soul cannot be different from the supreme soul. it is his part and form. How can the part be different. Actually he is not different or separate from him but he feels he is different or separate. The man thought himself to be different by looking at the external features.
After taking the different forms of 84 lakh births, he has taken the present form and limited himself. However he crosses his limits at times and his mind is full of pride. He is surrounded by the ego and forgets his actual form and he thinks he is different or separate from the soul. He has forgotten that he is something more than his body.
Every human being is made of two bodies – one is the physical body which is made up of five elements and the other is mental body which consists of mind, mind stuff, heart, self respect and soul which is the cheerful and happy form.
In spite of all comforts and luxuries man has some sufferings or diseases and he cannot enjoy them.
There is saying that ‘one who is without any disease is the most happiest person’. The happiness is a long way away from the sick person. A sick person cannot enjoy the luxuries. He is not able to receive them. Daily routine things like – eating, drinking, wearing clothes, and normal activities also seem useless to him. He neither relishes his food, nor is able to sleep properly. Everything seems painful. Sometimes he also feels that his stay in this world is also mere waste. If the body is healthy but due to some reason he is unhappy, he is thinking something or is in a state of dilemma even then he will not feel hungry, he cannot sleep or happiness vanishes within seconds. Even if he is enjoying all luxuries, he is healthy but depressed mentally, then he becomes disheartened. This type of situation leads him to mental depression followed by diseases and he becomes fed up of his life.
A man has all luxuries, is healthy, happy mentally, but these are not going to stay permanently or forever. He cannot get permanent happiness from these things. Man cannot control his desires. His wants are unlimited. He is always governed by the fear of achieving . There is some incompleteness in man’s life. He doesn’t get permanent happiness. Sometimes man gets frustrated with the luxuries around him. There are many examples in our history, when many of our kings and emperors left all their wealth and wandered in the forests. The western countries are live examples. In spite of having all wealth and happiness they are coming to our country for peace of mind. As long as man does not become one with his soul he will feel incomplete. Self-realization relieves all the problems. Man’s aim in life is self- realization. Until he gets self-realization he will be revolving around the cycle of life and death. he will get permanent happiness only when he realizes himself, understands his soul. All the emptiness and problems surrounding him are solved and he feels happy. The happy soul meets the permanent soul and the life is balanced.
To balance the body, mind and soul, our sages and seers kept themselves free from the world, and led their life in the Himalayas and with their abilities became successful in teaching us ‘Ashtang Yoga,’ which helps in attaining salvation. The mental tension is relieved through Yoga. We get self- realization and the body, mind and soul are balanced.
A yogi knows that the world is not permanent. He is unattached spiritually even though he is attached physically to this world. Although he is living with the people he is not with them. As an actor he fulfills his duties and leads a happy life. Yogi is an eye opener. We can understand the facts of life with his guidance. The mind is full of happiness and man remains enthusiastic. There is remarkable change in man’s life through self-realization. When the body is free from diseases, the mind is tension free, then there is complete happiness from within. State of deep meditation is the ultimate goal where the yogi reaches. The kundalini arousal takes place at this point. This is man’s ultimate goal. He can be called successful if he has achieved his goal. He is happy and people living with him also become happy. By practicing yoga he is free from all diseases and motivates people to become self-knower or Atmagyani.
Om Shanti, Its a good article about benefit of yoga. I would like to share my experience. For the past 7 years I am practicing under open sky in a park through 365 days in thick and thin of monsoon vagaries – under 7° cold, light to moderate drizzle of rain. Result? Perfect health with no cold nor caugh nor fever and in blissful mind while nearing 70 !