By Ms Radhika Bhirangi
,Mentor-facilitator Holistic Health & Wellness, Yoga Teacher, Rehabilitation Therapist
The text book definition of Yoga being a derivation of the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ meaning ‘to join’ (i.e. to unite the Individual consciousness with the Cosmic consciousness) is a widely accepted and an established fact. Drawing from that, the premise of this essay is that of a compelling need to breathe the art and science of Yoga into the rapidly fragmenting society at large and to help unsnarl the somewhat muddled views, Yoga beholds, on the world podium today.
Yoga is already popular worldwide, more as a movement culture, with an occasional infusion of breathing techniques, some relaxation and mindfulness practices. Even the hugely popular ‘Ashtanga Yoga’ model ironically propagates the third limb (Asanas) with fleeting glances on the fourth, leaving the rest of the limbs suffering an existential crisis. Lo and behold! Even many Indian practitioners, unaware of the eight limbs of Yoga, consider Ashtanga Yoga as a certain movement form!
On the other hand, the philosophy of Yoga, having endured through lifetimes, seems to lack the chutzpah enough to delight a world blinded by the glitz and glamor of the Asana culture. No, the intention isn’t to demean or understate the physicality of Yoga (Ha-Tha practice) but to draw attention to the whole of Yoga. Why settle for the crumbs when you are worth the whole cake?
To unite the individual (jiv-atman) with the Cosmos (para-brahman), may not only seem far-fetched but a tad too philosophical a concept for the average mind. But sans Yoga’s core unifying essence, Yoga as a practice, is simply reduced to that of a whitewash. The philosophy cannot be undermined or overlooked but it can surely be simplified to appeal to the masses. Having said that, it will be unfair not to acknowledge and applaud the great deal of painstaking work being already carried out by a handful of authentic, qualified teachers across the globe, dedicated to not only preserve but disseminate the principles of this ancient school of Indian philosophy. The need however, is far greater than what is being served.
Welcome to the world of separateness. I am different than You and You are different than Him, he is different than her and she is different than them – the tale of differences and individuation. The identification of separateness is not a new age phenomenon. It has been long present since the formation of the societal fabric, weaving its way through human relations and bio-interconnectedness. This identification is the very sum and substance of Prakriti (Nature). It creates many out of the One (Purusha), bringing forth into existence, the sentient and the insentient. However, the same fabric now lies threadbare with gaping holes and ever widening tear, threatening to completely dismantle the world as we know it because humanity has carried individuation a bit too far.
The problem may not be in the sense of individuation itself but the enormity of separateness that we see nowadays, the growing loss of natural human connection, the tremendous self-centeredness in an escalating hostile environment. The effects of this separateness reach far beyond the individual. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the sense of separateness is the origin of the constant conflict, warfare and oppression which have blighted human history.
The Vedic trinity of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction lies at the root of Yogic philosophy and balance or Samatva is at the root of Sustenance. “Samatvam Yoga Uchyate” is a verse from the Bhagavad Gita that means “Yoga is a balanced state” or “Yoga is equanimity”. With the breakneck decimation of this evolutionary balance, a complete societal collapse looms large on the face of all mankind today. The intention is not to paint a dismal picture but to point towards a corporeality that is in urgent need of upliftment.
Enter the realm of quantum mechanics, where the dance of particles reveals a mesmerizing truth: at the subatomic level, we are all connected in an intricate web of energy and information. Quantum entanglement, a phenomenon where particles remain connected regardless of distance, reminds us that our separateness is an illusion.
Well, maybe not an illusion but an aberration, as many non-duality teachers would put it – something which exists but shouldn’t. Children don’t experience separateness; they exist in a state of natural relatedness to the world. This is one of the reasons why childhood is so wonderful because the child feels connected to everything around them, in a participatory flow with all experience, with no ‘in here’ or ‘out there’. Most of the world’s indigenous peoples don’t see themselves as separate to their environment. They feel a strong sense of connection to nature, an awareness that they are a part of the web of creation.
The sense of separateness seems to be a quirk of our psychological development. For us, it slowly develops as we move into adolescence, becoming firmly established in our late teens. The ego develops as a structure, creating a sense of inner-ness and walling us off. It then proliferates well into our old age as we assume roles and attachments that become the scaffolding of the ego, propping it up and at the same time reinforcing separation. Our blinding inability to find common ground or recognizing unanimity is the cause behind the most trivial personal disagreements to catastrophic wars. We seem to see more differences than oneness.
“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff. We all are connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically, and to the rest of the universe atomically” – Carl Sagan, American astronomer and planetary scientist.
However, no matter how far into separateness we fall, in a sense it is never more than superficial. No matter how strong the ego becomes, it is never more than a mental construct. A bridging of this gap between ‘me’ and ‘you’, ‘us’ and ‘them’, ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’ is the need of the hour, where we embrace oneness, cultivate empathy and compassion, understanding that the well-being of one is intricately linked to the well-being of all.
How can we even comprehend, let alone unite with the Supreme Brahman or the highest, most transcendental entity that is beyond all description and conceptualization, if we cannot even bear to co-exist with each other in peace?! Binding, Uniting, Joining – Isn’t that the goal of Yoga? Adopting a reductionist approach of theorizing Yoga philosophy as part of academic knowhow or promoting it as a physical practice will mean that we have miserably failed to truly grasp the tremendous role that Yoga can play to restore balance and transform the disintegrating world of today.
Therefore, to all teachers, advocates, and practitioners of Yoga – It is critical that every step taken in the name of Yoga be interwoven with the essence of harmony and integration in order to create a cathartic impact the world needs, as of yesterday!
