Yoga for Better Mental Health
Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciousness untouched by the mind and mundane suffering (Duhkha).
Two general theories exist on the origins of yoga. The linear model holds that yoga has Vedic origins, as reflected in the Vedic textual corpus, and influenced Buddhism; according to author Edward Fitzpatrick Crangle, this model is mainly supported by Hindu scholars. According to the synthesis model, yoga is a synthesis of indigenous, non-Vedic and Vedic elements; this model is favoured in Western scholarship.
Yoga is first mentioned in the Rigveda, and is referred to in a number of the Upanishads.The first known appearance of the word “yoga” with the same meaning as the modern term is in the Katha Upanishad,which was probably composed between the fifth and third centuries BCE. Yoga continued to develop as a systematic study and practice during the fifth and sixth centuries BCE in ancient India’s ascetic and Śramaṇa movements.
Traditionally, people rising early often worked in fields or tended to animals, ensuring a natural daily dose of exercise. Early morning walks in fresh air were common, and healthy foods were consumed at regular times. While body massages and baths might have involved more oil than we use today, they prioritized self-care. Early bedtimes and consistent 7-8 hours of sleep were the norm. This routine likely contributed to their overall health and well-being.
Our rapidly advancing world, while full of technological marvels, can also threaten our physical and mental well-being. We all experience the effects of this fast pace: hypertension, anxiety, and a decline in mental and physical resilience. While escaping to the Himalayas and becoming a Yogi isn’t feasible for everyone, Yoga offers a simpler and powerful solution.
If you want to live a healthy and happy life in this challenging world, then make Yoga and Ayurveda a part of your life.
