Does Yoga Decrease Stress and Reduce Anxiety and Panic?
Yoga remains a difficult issue to discuss in this century. It is a pity that modern day globalization has caused this amazing ancient art to be viewed as a distant and mysterious concept. It is amazing to see the whole philosophy fuelling yoga’s methodology being reduced to a simple concept, justified by the need to make it easy for the layperson to understand.
The intricacies of this practice may not be easily understood by the western civilization. It is a very dangerous and unethical to merely dabble on the surface and then talks about this subject as an expert! Unfortunately, the western world seems to place the physical aspects of yoga as the main focus. Yoga has been cherished as a form of physical activity that has some beneficial effects on the mind in creating peace and serenity.
This unique practice is actually a religious journey, a representation of one of the Hindu schools of thought. Yoga as a part of India’s diverse culture and philosophy is actually a spiritual experience that includes some complicated physical moves. The westerner’s viewpoint that yoga is a physical activity is very wrong and distorted. The strange symbols related to the yoga practice have created some awareness among the westerners that there is more to yoga than the physical aspects, but they are often misunderstood. Operating from the wrong paradigm, yoga became a form of sports in the western world. The allure of yoga as an effective way to gain inner peace and balance has beckoned many to embrace this activity as well. Additionally, people who desire inner tranquility would often find this practice to be beneficial.
This perception is often strengthened by the various claims made by the so called yoga masters. Fatal errors have been detected in the practice of yoga outside of India, showing the level of misunderstanding among the western practitioners. A closer look revealed that these errors were caused by the cultural influence of each race.
The fast paced lifestyle of the western civilization left no chance for them to indulge in quiet, introspective moments to really understand this concept. The western busy lifestyles certainly do not provide much space to contemplate on this philosophy.
For instance, meditation is the crux of this philosophy but busy Americans do not possess the time to spend in a few hours of relative sessions every day. The Hindus have a different set of value system that is very different from the west, and places low importance in the mere accumulation of physical wealth. Perhaps the western man shall never reach the peaks of wisdom according to the parameters set by the Hindu religion and culture.
To gain maximum benefits from each meditation session, one needs to spare time and exercise tremendous patience in carrying out each essential part of the practice. This is what the westerners lack. The west seems cursed with the obsession to pursue the goal of building better lives in the form of lavish lifestyles and not in the philosophical way.
Yoga is practiced more as a form of recreational activity to fulfill a stylish lifestyle. If you are interested to take up yoga as a part of your lifestyle, you can get hold of some of those materials that are available, promoting this practice as a form of sports. Fans of famous people who later become fake gurus are adamant about supporting their idol and his practice. Obedient disciples of this distorted form of yoga have become agents of growth of this unhealthy philosophy.
