‘The Reason for all Physical Ailments is Mind’

Shraddheya Acharya Pratishtha is the daughter of world acclaimed Yog Guru Bharat Bhushan ji, who is a ‘Padma Shri’ recipient in the field of Yog Sadhna. She is an internationally acclaimed Yog Guru, Culture Expert, Indian Classical Dance exponent & Guru, Mind Therapist, author & a former diplomat with more than 50 Television shows on Yoga at leading TV channels. As part of Webisode 25 of Online Gurukulam- Learn with Masters, we bring you excerpts from our one-to-one interaction with Shraddheya Acharya Pratishtha on September 25, 2022 on our social media platforms. Here are the excerpts.

So much is being said and written about Yoga. What truly is Yog?
There are many bookish definitions. Like Unanimity is Yoga, Yoga is a balanced state and many others. But yoga simply means to unite. It means to live in totality. Today when people are scattered families are scattered, nations are scattered we need to bring you yoga to unite everything at individual and universal level both. It also helps merging your soul with the ultimate.

I’ve seen journey of Yog becoming yoga. Then yoga and meditation, then yoga and pranayama and ultimately it is then confined to a mere set of physical exercises. When we start living in totality and start living happily, even in the most difficult situations, it is when we learn Yog.

Meditation is a very popular name these days? What do you think is meditation and how does it work?
Meditation is the state of going beyond the thoughts. The subject of yoga is related to the mind. That is why Maharishi Patanjali said Yoga is chitti vritti nirodha otherwise he would have said Yoga is sharira vritti nirodha. Yoga is about the mind. The root cause of all the physical ailments is in the mind. It is extremely important to control the modifications of mind and only meditation can help control the mind.

We are witnessing a rise in various forms of Yoga around the world. How do you connect Yoga and Classical Dance? Does their amalgamation can help an individual merge with the ultimate?
Yoga means to unite. When people are uniting various forms together, we can say it is the initial step to begin your journey. I see it as the two sides of the same coin. Same can be said for Yoga and Dance. There are a lot of similarities between two— mudras, there are eight limbs yoga and in dance we have eight rasas. The karanas in dance are very similar to the yogic postures.

Also, if we look at the scientific aspect, the secretions from a pituitary gland are straightaway connected to our emotional world. Dance touches your emotions straightaway. So the one who has controlled his emotions, mind and body has achieved everything and has controlled his life.

Yoga takes us towards stability while dance takes us towards movement. That’s the only difference between the two. Otherwise they are the two sides of the same coin.

Who is a Guru? What kind of relationship do your share with your Guru?
My father is my Guru. Guru is the one who takes you from darkness towards light. Guru who takes money from the disciples, but cannot take away their sorrows cannot be called a guru. Guru is the one who leads you leads us towards light. I’m happy that I’m part of the lineage. I’m blessed to have my father as my Guru. You cannot practice yoga and not only yoga any classical art without a Guru.

What is the ‘Self Talk Therapy’ of Bharat yoga which has become very popular?
Self-Talk therapy is a beautiful therapy by Bharat Yog Sansthan. We have treated millions of people with it; even people who were not able to move, were not able to concentrate on their respiration were able to heal. We talk to ourselves every day, but most of the times this process is done unconsciously that to very negatively. Once you start telling yourself, I am happy and blessed, things will start changing. You can heal yourself. Tell yourself I am parmatmas child and all good is going to happen to me.

How important is to learn Yoga and Pranayama from a qualified teacher?
You cannot learn the science of yoga with a Guru. Having a Guru is the first basic step towards learning yoga. If today, I start saying that I developed Self-talk therapy, yoga gatis, this will clearly mean it is my ahankara, my ego.

Why do we need this guru-shishya parampara? Why do we need to be grateful to our masters to the lineage? This is because Guru helps us to learn to live ego free. The basis of every problem is ego. Ego generates Raga, dwesha— which is among the five kleshas of yoga. One should tell the students that they have learned whatever they know from their gurus and my guru learned from his Guru. This is how guru-shishya parampara should continue forever.

In this world of technology, do we have space and patience for Yoga?

If people don’t have patience go to their level, once they feel, it is beneficial, they will come to you and learn yoga patiently to get rid of their sorrows. Trust me, people will do anything.