Yoga in Modern Era

Yoga, Health and Physical Education

Ms. Neetu Bakshi
Assistant Professor, Dept. of English, S.D. College Ambala Cantt

Ms. Chhavi Kiran

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Commerce, S.D. College Ambala Cantt

Abstract
Yoga is a way of a better living. It ensures great or efficiency in work, and a
better control over mind and emotions. Through yoga one can achieve both
physical and mental harmony. Health is the greatest blessing of all. Health is
not just the absence of disease. To enable the individuals to lead a life of
complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity. Physical Education may provide the right direction
and needed actions to improve the health of members of any community,
society, nation and the world as a whole. An educational system
encompassing the mental, emotional, social and physical dimensions of
health becomes imperative to bring about all around development in
children.
Yoga: Yoga is the movement of the body through different positions,
postures, and poses. “Yoga is skill in actions." - Lord Krishna. "Yoga is the
way or method through which internal and external facilities of man meets
in totality and changes occur and by which may achieve God or feel his
existence and may become the part of Him.” - Sri Aurobindo
Aim and Objectives
The aim of yoga is control over the mind. A man who can- not control his
mind will find it difficult to attain divine communion, but the self-controlled
man can attain it if he tries hard and directs his energy by the right means.
The main aim of yoga is integrating the body, mind, and thoughts so as to

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work for good ends. Modern life style leads to diseases, which are mostly
due to poor food habits, heavy daily routines and to air and water pollution
in turn easily affect the human body. The main objectives of the Yogic
practices are to make one free from diseases, ignorance, egoism, miseries the
affiliations of old age, and fear of death etc.
Asanas Guidelines:
We have to keep in mind that while going in for asana practice we have to
adhere to general conditions with regard to dress time of practice place of
practice etc., so as to achieve the maximum benefits.
Dress: What is the dress proper for the asanas? The minimum possible dress
is recommended. More area of our body should be exposed to the
atmosphere. The dress should be lose and preferably elastic in nature prefer
cotton materials to other kinds.
Time: It can be practiced both in the morning and in the evening. The
morning session will be good, because during the mornings the atmosphere
is pure and calm and it is very easy to focus our mind in a desired direction. '
Place: The place of practice is very important. While is practice you should
not be disturbed by other external factors. 80 your place that your are free
from disturbance and select pooja room or separate hall or better if you have
open terrace. The place should have proper ventilation, free from dust ants
and quite calm in nature.Body: Body should be clean, particularly our
stomach, and intestine should be empty. Finish your morning routines, take
your bath, and after 15 minutes, practice the asanas. The important
instruction, the body should be light and fresh. Hence the asanas are done
during in the early morning hours or during the evening.
Sequence: Usually the Yogic asanas are done along with Pranayama and
meditation practices in the following sequence. Complete the asanas first.
then follow it with Pranayama and go for meditation the last.
Spread: The asana is done on a flat horizontal surface covered with a clean
blanket preferably a cotton cloth.
Age limit: According to yoga literature, both male and female can practice
the asanas right from the age of twelve. However the children should not
remain ih their final pose for long duration as adult‟s do

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Priority: For good results asana practice should begin with Savasana. This
helps the body to attain normal metabolism level which is a suitable "stage
for beginning the practice.
Concentration: During the asana practice the concentration is a must it is
easily achieved when you attempt to see the tip of the nose with your eyes or
dry to see with your eyes the center of your forehead
Initiation: Yogic asana practice needs initiation from a teacher. That is in the
initial stage the learning should be from an experienced „Guru' is essential
Diet: Yoga teachers insist that two quarter of the stomach volume alone
should be filled with food, one quarter with water and the remaining quarter
should be kept empty
Benefits of Yoga
· It develops the physical stability.
· It keeps a person young.
· It Strengthens the hamstring, calf, and back muscles.
· It relieves the stiffness of joint, particularly at knee, hip and ankle.
· it removes excess fat in the abdominal region
· It gives more flexibility to the vertebral column
· It is extremely beneficial to the spinal column.
· It will enlarge the thoracic cavity.
· It strengthens the back and abdomen muscles.
· It helps to make the maximum range of movements in all directions in
the hip joint.
· It develops the balancing power in the body.
· It loosens the spinal column.
· It reduces the excess fat in the sideways.
· It strengthens the ankles and tones the muscles of the legs.

· It promotes the spinal bone growth

Asanas
Asanas (Postures) Asnana means holding the body in a particular posture to
bring stability to the body and poises to the mind. The Practice of asana

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brings firmness to the body and vitality to the body and mind. The people of
ancient Greece believed in the principle. „A sound mind in a sound body. By
practicing asana one frees himself from physical disabilities and mental
distractions. It is a state of complete equilibrium of body, mind and spirit
asanas may be of the following types Meditative Asanas, Relaxation Asanas
and Cultural Asanas.
Asanas are very useful and important from the view point of physical,
mental and spiritual growth of an individual. Doing methods of Asanas are-
Sitting posture, Standing posture and Lying posture - Supine, Prone
Meditation
“The greatest factor for spiritual life is meditation. ln meditation we feel our
divine nature. We do not depend upon any external help in meditation.
Meditation can bring about a true personal transformation. As you learn
more about yourself, you'll naturally start discovering more about yourself
Benefits
To experience the benefits of meditation, regular practice is necessary. It
takes only a few minutes every day. Once imbibed into the daily routine,
meditation becomes the best part of your day! Meditation is like a seed.
When you cultivate a seed with love, the more it blossoms. Busy people
from all backgrounds are grateful to pause and enjoy a refreshing few
minutes of meditation each day. Dive deep into yourself.
Health Education
Health education is concerned with promoting health as well as reducing
behaviour induced diseases. In other words health education is concerned
with establishing or inducing changes in personal and group attitudes and
behaviour that promote healthier living. "Health Education like general
education is concerned with changes in knowledge, feelings and behaviour
of people. In its most usual forms it concentrates on developing such health
practices as are believed to bring about the best possible state of well being"
-W.H.O. Technical Report (1954)

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Objectives
· To enable the students to develop a scientific point of view of health
with reference to traditional and modern concept of health.
· To enable the students to identify health problems and understand their
own role on health and to medical agencies in meeting those problems.
· To enable the student to take interest in current events related to health.

· To enable the students to arrive at suitable conclusions, based on

scientific knowledge, and take action as an individual, member of the
family and community protecting, maintaining and promoting
individual and community health.
· To enable the students to set an example of desirable / health behaviour.

· To enable the students to understand the causes of the pollution of air,

water soil and food as well as their ways and means of prevention.
· To enable the students to gain sufficient knowledge of First-Aid.

· To provide desirable knowledge about marriage sex and family planning

to the students.
· To help students to understand the importance of physical training
sports, games, yogic exercises as well as their relationship with health
education programme.
· To emphasize students on the bad effects of smoking and taking alcohol
etc.
· To acquaint students with the functioning of various organizations
working for the maintenance of health.
· To help students understand how the present day rapid development of
science and technology as increased the hazards of life and health
problems; and also how to face and prevent them.
Importance
· Health education provides information to the students and the teachers
about the function of the body. the rule of health and hygiene and
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precautionary measures for keeping of diseases.

· Health education helps in discovering physical defects / of children and
discovering various types of abnormalities of children.
· Health education develops health habits like need of fresh / air, hygienic
feeding and various class
· Health education provides knowledge regarding good health habits

· Health education develops better human relations between school, home

and community.
· Health education provides knowledge regarding prevention and control
of various diseases.
· Health education proving first aid training essential for everyone as
emergency may come to any one and at anytime.Physical Education
The word "Physical Education" comprises of two separate words. “Physical”
and “Education”. The plain dictionary meaning of word physical as “relating
to body”, which may mean any one or all body characteristics of a person
such as physical strength, physical endurance, physical fitness, physical
appearance or physical health. The word “education” may mean “the
systematic instructions or training or preparation for some particular task".
“Physical Education is an education „of and through human movement
where many of the educational objectives are achieved by means of big
muscle activities involving sport, games, gymnastics, dance, and exercises" -
Harold M. Barrow.
Objectives
· Development of Organic Fitness

· Development of Mental health

· Social Development

· Development of Neuro muscular co- ordination

· Development of Desirable Habits:

· Development of Personality

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· Providing for Mental Hygiene

· Development of Functional Knowledge

· Development of qualities of a good Citizenship

Scope
· Corrective Exercises: Corrective exercises help to remove the
deformities in the body of a child. Sometimes these defects are there
because of defects in muscle development. We use light corrective
exercises.
· Games and Sports: Various team games like hockey, football, cricket,
basketball and volley ball etc, and individual events like athletics,
wrestling, boxing judo and archery are included in the programmers of
physical education. Swimming, diving, canoeing etc. are related to water
sports.
· Rythmics: Gymnastics, Leziums, Dance, Mass physical training and
Dumb bell etc. are rhythmical activities necessary for rhythm and
balance Rhythmical activities are also included in the progrmmes of
physical education.
· Self defence activities: Hiking, Trekking, judo, karate and self defence
activities are included in the programmes of physical education.
· Recreational Activities: Recreational activities like minor games, chess,
carom, horse riding, education camps, hunting, folk dance, fishing etc.
are included in the programmes of physical education.
· Yogic activities: Yogic activities such as Asanas, Pranayama, kriyas etc.
are included in physical education.
Importance
· Physical education develops the alertness of mind.
· Physical education provides knowledge about health and, its hazards,
and communicable and non communicable diseases.
· Through physical activities, leisure time can be utilized properly.
· Through physical education human body can be developed in good
proportion. The Physical beauty also improves.
· A good sports man is a good citizen. He knows how to adjust with

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others.
· Physical education helps in developing and maintaining of good
relations among human beings. It develops social traits, like
cooperation. sympathy, loyalty, fraternity, courtesy and other traits of
leadership.
· Aggressiveness can be eliminated through physical activities. By
participating physical activities we can overcome stress, tension and
sensitiveness.
· Physical education helps in creating discipline through games and
sports.
· Physical education provides a number of opportunities to enhance the
power of tolerance.
· Physical education enhances all the essential traits required for
development of the personality.
· Physical education leads to happiness efficiency and character building.
Conclusion
Most people are in opinion that yoga refers to performing exercises to keep
the body fit and trim. But it is more than that. The systematic yogic practices
not only eliminate and control several diseases but also keep the mind
perfect, clean and peaceful. That means the yogic practice gives both
physical and mental perfection.
References
1. Aggarwal, J.C., 'Health and Physical Education' Shipra Publications,
New Delhi, 2005.
2. Brar, Rachhpal, Gill, Jagtar, Bains, Jagdish, Singh, Ajmer, 'Essential of
Physical Education', Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana,Punjab, India, 2008.
3. Bucher, Charles A, 'Foundation of Physical Education', 8th Ed., The C.V.
Mosby Co., St. Louis, 1979.
4. Kang, S Harinder, Singh Bhupender, 'Physical and Health Education',
Bharat Publications, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, India, 2005.
5. K a m l e s h , M . L . , ' P r i n c i p l e s a n d H i s t o r y o f P h y s i c a l
Education.'Published by Parkesh Brothers, Ludhiana, India, 1981.
6. Sarashwati, Swami Satyananda, Asana Pranayama Mudra, Bandha.
Bihar School of Yoga Ganga Darshan Munger, Bihar, India. 1995.

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