Yoga and its Streams

Yoga, not as a rope trick or magic, not merely as yogasanas, pranayama, mudras, bandhas, meditation or kriyas, but as a science of holistic living, became the unique feature of VK movement.

Yoga is not only to be adopted as a tool of man-making but also for nation-building, Swamiji said. To use Jnana, Bhakti and Raja Yoga methods for all-round personality development at the physical, mental, emotional and intellectual levels. And to translate the same into action through Karma Yoga-Tyaga, Seva and Atmabodha are the threefold dimensions of Karma Yoga, said Eknathji and incorporated them in our Kendra Prarthana. The first two, 'the twin ideals of our nation' are adequate tools for nation-building. Atmabodha the third, the Jnana dimension of Karma Yoga, is needed to bring the holistic vision of 'Reality' to practical life. Swamiji had said that Vedanta is not to be kept in books and scriptures, nor limited to scholars of reknown but should be brought down to life - practical Vedanta for the masses, too.

Yoga in Action

To work in tune with Reality, action in relaxation, converting all problems, difficulties and challenges into opportunities for self- growth and nation-building by being in blissful awareness at all times, with a full understanding that our casual nature is Bliss itself - Sat chitananda svarupa, potential divinity in life, to lead a life of happiness, health and harmony. Thus brining ecology in nature, peace, love and affection, cooperation in society, eliminating student unrest, drug and gun culture, divorces, psychosomatic ailments and psychiatric disorders, greed and speed at the base of a host of stress- triggered, aggravated and maintained problems in every nook and corner of our nation and thereby all over the globe.

Yoga Research

Yoga is verifiable by scientific research as it is no dogma or blind faith. Eknathji, with a vision for future, inspired doctors to start a research wing of yoga which has grown as VK YOGAS*, 'One of the the 4 premier yoga institutions in the country' in the words of the Secretary, University Grants Commission. Starting from Yoga Therapy Research, the Yoga Foundation has spread its wings to several dimensions of modern life.

Quantum Physicists have started enlarging the scope of modem science by using consciousness-based approach, the essence of yoga, in contrast to the existing matter-based approach. The scientists are clear, that the existing paradigm which assumes that matter is primary and mind etc. are its offshoots, has led to increasing number of paradoxes in physics and unexplainable things as mind- body healing, rebirth, ESP, psycho-kinesis, the recorded activities in the haunted houses by the hardcore scientists themselves. 'Science within Yoga' is the theme of the book 'Self Awareness Universe' of Prof. Amit Goswami - quantum physicist of renown. The effectiveness of yoga practices for treating ailments is getting support from research findings of medical researchers. Extensive research on Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Anxiety Neurosis, Eye problems. Mental retardation, Cancer etc., has been done over the last 2 decades with nearly 50 research papers published in leading national & international medical research journals. Nearly 75000 patients of bronchial allergies, 1200 cases of Diabetes Mellitus, etc. have been treated very effectively by the integrated approach of yoga practices having its roots in Panca Kosa Viveka of Taittiriya Upanishad and Adhi-Vyadhi concept from Yoga Vasistha. Long term follow-up is a feature of our clinical research studies, as all these ailments of the modern era are extremely sensitive to changes in food, atmosphere, place, treatment modalities, etc. Unless the course of the disease is studied with a long-range perspective, the total rehabilitation (cure) cannot be established.

Yoga and Education

The role of yoga has the ability to fill the vacuum in modern education which is essentially left brain-oriented. As Swami Vivekananda had envisioned, we should not be satisfied with information-gathering & bread-earning education. He said, 'Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man'. To build an all-round (4-fold) personality-physical, mental, emotional & intellectual with a spiritual basis and 4-fold consciousness-civic sense, patriotism, service zeal and spiritual urge, should be the goal of education. To translate this vision to action, the yoga research wing has done extensive research. Research on yoga has shown that the right modules of yoga practices can develop the right brain, eyesight, hearing, speech, memory (audio, visual, audiovisual, short & long range IQ), creativity and culture the emotions which can develop, nation building features in the students.

Yoga for the Corporate World

The fourth dimension of yoga research concerns with the problems of the corporate world. Target-oriented, profit-motivated, highly competitive scenario has no doubt brought great achievements in the era of technology with air travel, television, computers, the latest internet and web have started translating the vision of a 'global village' to a reality. If only a 'Sanjaya' could see through his divine vision sitting in the palace what was developing in the war field, technology has made it possible for everyone sitting in their houses to see what is happening round the globe. Yet, the horrors of the massive technological stir with great speed, as Samudra Manthana, has brought the Halahala (poison) in the form of STRESS, encompassing the whole world from top to bottom including modern little kids complaining of stress, tension & boredom to their moms and papas. A multidimensional answer is yoga, eliminating the causes of stress as physical strain and traumas, mental restlessness, emotional upsurges and deep-rooted psychological (intellectual) conflicts; by a simple module of SMET conducted in 1200 industries encompassing nearly 25000 executives, workers and women in the industrial atmosphere; and a Holistic Systems Management adding dimensions of health, growth and contributions to society; all worked out systematically with data acquisition and its analysis; the TQM way for quality products and services. Many research publications of VK YOGAS have added strength to this application of yoga to the corporate world.