Smt Meetal Koticha Shah
Joint Executive Trustee, Project ‘Life’ &
Senior Vice-Chairperson, IYA, Gujarat Chapter
Old age, often seen as a difficult phase in life, can be actually joyous and enjoyable through regular practice of Yoga, Meditation and Pranayama. Yogic lifestyle can pave the way to live a stress free, peaceful and serene life.
The changes ushered by old age are multifold. Social adjustment, dependence, generation gap, differences in way of thinking and value system can be frustrating and can affect the life adversely. Life’s greatest pain is expectations. Feeling sidelined and ignored or avoided by mainstream can cause ailments and poor sense of well-being, sometimes depression and dejection.
Society has undergone rapid changes. Nuclear families have replaced joint families and support systems have been dwindling. People live with high stress levels and irregular routines. Old age and retirement from active lifestyle create alarming voids. Unmanageable mental and physical conditions and lack of family support have compelled people to seek solace in old age homes and the number is on the increase.
Getting old is imminent and unavoidable. But living healthy and happy is not.
While physical and mental changes are a normal occurrence with increasing age. Life can be healthier and better managed in old age by adopting a Yogic lifestyle.
Yoga can augment adaptability and flexibility through enhancement of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing, leading to comfort and content in the silver years.
Age is only a number and one is only as old as one feels. Yogic lifestyle can make huge difference in living and provide a cheerful, optimistic and healthy state of mind, body and soul. Introspection, devotion, and spiritual outlook are natural effects of Yogic practices.
The practice is simple and easy to adopt:
- Regular brisk walk in the open air, preferably in morning.
- Yogasana, Pranayama and Meditation.
- Humor and laughter.
- Enlighten your Retirement.
- Regular sleep routine. Early to bed & early to rise.
- Regular physical activity. Exercise.
- Optimism.
- Refrain from negative thoughts.
- Develop new hobbies.
Happiness is a state of mind, easily found within.
Healthy life practices lead to happiness.
Age cannot damage, if we can manage. Because health is in our hands.
