Yoga teaches you how to relax

The road traffic administration in India has introduced two new features at major intersections – the motorists stopping at the red signal read “Relax” glowing with the light and there is a digital timer indicating the countdown to the green signal. Hence one knows the time available to relax at the traffic intersections.

The need for the system grew from a study on the behavioural pattern of the motorists. It was found that those behind the wheels were a harried lot given the pace of life and the increasing traffic congestion on the roads. This resulted in a marked rise in the impatience of the motorists. So jumping the red signal or speeding away as the green light turned red resulted in many accidents at the intersections, which were increasing by the year.

Hence, now the red signal says Relax and the digital timer tells how long. This saves precious fuel as well as a motorist can turn the ignition off for the time period.

The new system is a reminder that life can go on without stress only if we know how. Yoga trains a person to make best use of those free moments when one can come back to himself from his involvement in the affairs of his world.

Yoga is not just a regimen of exercises and the way one can go about his diet. It is about how one can go about his life in totality.

A yogi and an ayurveda (a traditional Indian system of medicine and treatment) practitioner can tell you the root cause of all the humanity is suffering from – stress. Stress is a major killer.

The effect of stress is first visible on your digestive system. If you have not had a good night sleep, you will find your bowels not evacuating with ease the following morning. So constipation is the first problem to strike you if your system has not relaxed enough. Eating too late in the night or having a low fibre diet are other reasons, but stress is number one as observations of the ayurveda doctors reveal. Stressed out and frayed nerves leading eventually to cardiovascular problems, is a well known medical fact.

The first thing that a beginner at yoga learns is how to manage the flow of his stress hormones – adrenaline and noradrenaline, which trigger a destructive response to an unpleasant situation or a crisis. Yoga’s regulatory effect on the cellular followed by organ level follows hence.

The most chronic of physical conditions, known to medical science as incurable, have been successfully treated and cured through the system and practices of yoga. This is being confirmed in a major new research study that is being undertaken in India.

You may watch these pages for free advice on how to go about your invaluable life. You may even post your queries via our contact form to this author, who is a practitioner and teacher of yoga and can help you with advice on ayurveda.

Add comment July 2nd, 2006 Written By: lalitgambhir