"Health can be earned only by sweat"
MALABIKA CHATTERJEE FOUNDER OF MAHESHWAR YOGA·WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017
On the occasion of third International Day of Yoga Celebrations today on June 21,2017, I convey my deepest regards to every Yoga practitioner or aspiring practioner by quoting one of India ́s most prominent Yoga Guru B.K.S. Iyengar ́s striking words that I wish to draw your attention to in this article today.
When we visualize ourselves of good health, what are the first things that come to our mind? An hour-glass figure or a rock solid muscular body? Probably the next question is, can we achieve this in the quickest possible time by starving ourselves of a meal or two, including with fancy diets, cutting out on vital nutrients our body needs ? Do we once pause to think of our health as our mental health – be it emotional, intellectual or philosophical well-being?
My personal belief from my own transforming experience is a healthy body without a healthy mind achieved overnight is a myth. There are no short-cuts to good physical and mental health. But through the right and regular practice of the most basic Hatha Yoga we can get there eventually irrespective of what situation our health is today! Here ́s why and how :
· Yogic science believes that we all possess seven critical “Chakras” or energy wheels
which are present at critical junctions of our body which are very personal to us and determine the state of our body and mind. Without going very deep into this very rich science, regular practice of Yoga awakens and alerts the Chakras and generates energy which are then circulated throughout our body and mind. Yoga functions to open up the chakras with its constant bending of our bodies before the universe.
· Right practice : Every Yoga Asana has to be done in the right way. Deviations from the right posture and movement minimizes the effect or sometimes no effect or in the worst case even creates a negative effect. One need not achieve perfection right from the word go but striving your current best will get you there by following the right techniques. As one starts to practice,one starts reaping the benefits whether it is visible or not to the individual. None of this is easy and one has to break “sweat” and body ache in the initial months. If you just want to do just exercise, do some other sport or activity that is related only to physical fitness like running, climbing,etc but Yoga needs to be done methodologically.
· Regular practice : The notion that one can achieve the positive benefits by exercising
just once a month is elusive and will continue to be. Yogic science recommends minimum thrice/week preferably on consecutive days. But surely one will also benefit exercising at least twice a week but on a regular basis.
· Right diet : Having a balanced diet with proper compulsory breakfast is a must. There ́s no compulsion to be a vegan but a proper intake of proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates
to what is needed by your body is essential – your body will eventually tell you what you need ! Citing my personal experience I have noticed that with regular Yoga practice, my prior unnecessary sugar cravings stopped and my body guided me to eat the right kind and quantity of food intake.
Every day of a good intake of diet, regular practice of correct yoga postures will get you to the eventual health you deserve. You need to sweat for it! Yoga is not an exercise – it is an ancient art based on extremely subtle science about correcting the alignment of our body and mind !
Malabika Chatterjee is a Yoga practitioner and teacher and founder of Maheshwar Yoga, a new Hatha Yoga studio in Basel, Switzerland reinforcing how simple and energizing basic HathaYoga for people of all ages, background and fitness. She holds a Bachelor ́s Degree in Education Honors (Calcutta University) and Masters in Drama and Theater Education (University of Warwick, U.K.) before completing her Yoga degree under Bikram College of Yoga, Los Angeles,USA.