Shri Yogendraji
From the day the
first man was born, he has remained a problem not only to himself and others
but even to the Gods. So came the
incarnations, prophets and saviours, according to mythological history. The complex has now been recognized as the
human problem because man had been, is and will remain – may be for eternity –
a problem unto himself, quite unpredictable as ever. Trials have been made throughout the period
of civilization and culture to solve this problem of problems by peoples of all
countries. Each claimed success through
their own form of civilization and so there grew various ancient sciences and
arts, social forms, and traditions of religion.
That all these have failed so far is patent, what with the churning going
on within the hearts of all men who neither feel free, happy, nor at
peace. For this was their search – the
search for freedom, for happiness, for peace and, if possible, for immortality.
In India, a search for these goals first took the form of
mundane prosperity (Yogaksema) as
evident in Rigveda. In the amalgamated
ideas of that time, may be thousands of years ago, the genesis of yoga flowered
as a catalytic medium, referred to as a vehicle through the agency of which
blessings of gods were invoked. But
dependence on some outside agency to achieve prosperity, which is also the aim
of the modern man at national and international levels in all spheres of life,
was found wanting. Thus, it was soon
realized that instead of solving the human problem of prosperity through an
outside agency, if man began helping himself, he could achieve this
economically, easily and definitely. So
instead of solving his problems by objective or mundane methods, the mad Muni of Vedic period settled down to a
norm of inner culture later accepted as yoga – the standard and uniform
technology of disciplining human personality so that in whatever conditions he
is, he is still free, happy and at peace.
Instead of wasting time in building temples and monuments to perpetuate
his image of self, his idea of immortality was satisfied when he realized that
his true self is eternal and absolute.
Similarly, freedom was not objectively expressed as freedom
from want and fear, freedom of worship and speech – the fundamental rights
accepted by nations – because no man can ever be free from needs – his needs
daily growing. So if he has a good meal,
a good shelter and good clothes, he still wants them to be better. He is therefore not free. Today, with all that civilization and culture
can offer him; he is still a State slave or a paid slave. In fact, no man can conscientiously say that
he is free in the way he would like to be.
The freedom which he seeks from within is of a different category and
therefore this problem still remains a human problem.
Happiness depends upon his attitude because a thing which
gives happiness to one may not do so to another. Peace again is an achievement which does not
come easily by the order of the State or other means. It requires a dispassionate, ethical life leading
to a de-conditioned mind.
All known systems of thought
and philosophy including various traditions of religion accepted yoga as the
supreme technology. The high esteem in
which yoga was held in the past can be gauged from the statement in Yogabija that even gods could not
achieve their godhood without the help of yoga.
Unfortunately, this technology of yoga today is understood
at the popular and government levels as physical exercises like Asanas, etc. Such a profane interpretation has given yoga
a setback – and made it look cheap. What
is needed to safeguard the future of yoga is rational and scientific evaluation
of its technology by experts, who actually live the very life, in cooperation
with unbiased and veridical scientists who should merely act as
corroborators. It will then be possible
to save yoga for posterity to help solve one’s problems by oneself insofar as
these concern one’s freedom, happiness, peace and immortality. The other four freedoms of human rights can
be solved if yoga discipline is accepted at all levels – economic, political,
social, religious, etc. – by all as the basic way of life for solving human
problems.
Over more than half a century ago, when the founding of The
Yoga Institute was conceived, this vision – that properly interpreted and
evaluated yoga will survive – was fully evident. During this long period of yoga history, The
Yoga Institute has proved its bona fides and has been successful in promoting
all aspects of yoga education.
As a result of the promotion of its technology, yoga is now
being spoken of and respected in over sixty civilized countries of the world
where the Institute is well known for its multipurpose activities. Although in a small measure, it has served
the purpose of solving individual human problems, and it may be no surprise if
the human society becomes transformed by taking to a new way of life should yoga
education – integrated and evolved at the Institute – be given its proper place
in the educational systems of all countries in due course.
Published in the September 2011 edition of Yoga & Total Health Magazine.
