Yoga - The Mind, Body, and Spirit Enhancing Art

Maharshi Mahesh Yogi and Sri Ravi Sankar are popularizing this.The Iyengar Yoga institute in US is famous.In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna has inspired Arjuna to rise from his depression by preaching Gita in the battlefield and to rise from the depression to do his duties.In Holy Gita we can see, being hidden by the cosmic overview of any institution beset with myriad problems, not the least of which is its lack of moral probity, there is a groundswell of educated people seeking answers to deeply personal but universally asked questions.Chie Executives taking lessons from yoga, meditation and learning how to deal with human resources equations in an enlightened manner.Individuals from every walk of life can get ideas of how to be better human beings, more balanced and less stressed out.Medical studies continue to show regular meditation working magic in reducing blood pressure and stress-related illnesses, including heart disease.Brain images show that regular meditation helps calm the most active sensory-assaulted parts of the brain.The ancient Hindu sage Patanjali who had mastered the secrets of the human mind has written a book "Yogasutra".In this book we can see how super powers can be achieved by meditation.It has both cosmic relevance and cosmic resonance.In spite of its universal appeal, for most people total control of mind remains an elusive goal and daunting task.From time immemorial, there have been many attempts throughout the world to unlock the mysteries of the mind and to achieve total control over it through a variety of techniques.One of the most powerful of these techniques is meditation.

Many spiritual leaders, sages, saints, and holy people such asSri.Buddha, Sri Ramakrishna, Madam Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda have practiced this.One of the ways to control physiological reactions to psychological stimuli is meditation, Yoga, Zen Buddhism etc.The scientists take Transcendental Meditation (TM) as the uniform technique, and base their observations on the study of the subjects engaged in this form of meditation.In summing up the results the scientists have come to conclusion that the effect of meditation is a "wakeful, hypo-metabolic state".They have found that:

1.Yogis could slow both heart rate and rate of respiration,

2.Yogis could slow the rate of metabolism as confirmed by decreased oxygen consumption and carbon-di-oxide output.

3.Electro-Encephalo-Gram (EEG - recording of brain activity) in Yogis showed changes of calmness in the form of "alpha rhythm" during both eyes closed and eyes open recordings.

4.Th ir skin resistance to electric stimulation was increased (indicating increased tolerance to external stimuli).

Our usual 'defense-alarm' reaction to emotional and physical stress is in the form of "fright, flight, and fight" mediated through over-secretion of certain neuro-transmitters and neuro-modulators, namely adrenaline and dopamine by way of stimulation of sympathetic nervous system.Under the influence of these chemicals and hormones, we reflexively become panicky or aggressive, our blood pressure rises.Thus stress and anxiety is the end result if we allow our natural age-old sympathetic reactions to act and to come to surface.We try to run away, become fearful, or fight the situation.But today these 'defense-alarm' reactions have no place in our lives.Rather, they should be replaced by more calm and serene reactions of equanimity and fearlessness.The need is to just 'face the brute, and it will go away'.Such desirable reactions of non-aggression and peaceful attitude are generated by Y ga and meditation.EEG Studies on Yogis and The Zen Meditations: Yogis practicing Raja-Yoga claim that during the state of samadhi they are oblivious to the internal and external stimuli, and they enjoy a calm ecstasy during that state.A study was undertaken to record the electrical activity of their brain during this state by means of a regular and useful test known as electroencephalography EEG.

Physiological and experimental studies have demonstrated that the basis of conscious state of brain, among other things, is due to activation of "reticular system" in the brain-stem in response to internal and external stimuli.These stimuli bring about various changes during sleeping and wakeful states of the organism and these can be studied by EEG.The study was carried out on four subjects during the state of concentration and meditation.Effects of external stimuli, like a loud gong, strong light, thermal simulation, and vibrations were studied.The results were compiled and analyzed.It was observed that two Yogis could keep their hands immersed in extremely cold water for about 50 minutes (raised pain threshold).During state of meditation, all of them showed persistent "alpha activity" in their EEG with increased amplitude wave pattern, both during 'eyes closed' and 'eyes open' recording.It was observed that these alpha activities could not be blocked by various sensory stimuli during meditation.It was also observed that those, who had well-marked "alpha activity" in their resting EEG showed greater aptitude and zeal for maintaining the practice of Yoga.Similar observations and results were obtained when EEGs were recorded in persons adept in Zen Meditative technique.Can we say that only those persons who exhibit such recording of "alpha wave rhythm" in their EEG are fit for Yoga? and be designated as right candidates for meditation and Yoga practices? (Such experiments are indeed very few and the number of yogis examined is also very small.Therefore, scientifically and statistic lly these observations have only a tentative importance.Further research is definitely called for, albeit it will have its own limitations.) It is said that in the unknown period of Lord Jesus Christ , He was under meditation.

References
Yoga magazines
Newsweek
New York Times
Time magazine