As usual, I am using the title as a sequence of overloaded words. I am simultaneously implying that Yoga is the solution to all your ‘worldly problems’, as well as all the ‘problems of the world’.
I may appear to oversell Yoga. But it is true as I explain later.
A few decades ago, there was war and massive bloodshed in a European region. The entire world was divided on who was right and who was wrong. But thousands of innocent people suffered for no fault of theirs. It was really pathetic.
I was amazed, as you probably are, at that wonderful and baffling claim. How is such a thing possible? I immediately wrote to the organization of this Yogi asking them how the Yogi thinks such a thing is possible.
I was a bit naïve to expect a reply. And I never got one. Instead I was put on their ‘mailing list’ and I started receiving unsolicited publicity material from the Yogi’s organization 😉 !
Actually, it was part of a publicity stunt that the Yogi’s organization was engaged in. Lot of attention, lots of heads turned, means more ‘customers’ to the Yogi’s organization.
That is what is happening to Yoga today. It is so commercialized and is seen as a gold mine. Everyone is eager to make a quick buck.
But if you see honestly, Yoga does have potential to solve many of our personal problems – be it ill health, stress, inability to achieve our goals, inter personal conflicts and so on. At the same time, Yoga can be a complete transformer of the society we live in, reducing conflicts, hatred, mutual distrust, oppression, deprivation and so on. Not as a Billion-dollar magic but as a long-term solution.
So, Yoga can not only solve our worldly problems, but also the problems of the world.
I am not talking about an ideal imaginary world where a cow and a tiger live together ever after, without harming each other. Such a thing is just not possible. Conflicts of interest are bound to be there since it is probably part of the design of this world. But we can surely try to minimize avoidable problems and can hope to live happily – as happily as it is practically possible.
What gives Yoga such a wonderful capability?
Firstly, Yoga makes it a pre-requisite to live an honest, contented, and a balanced life that gives minimal scope for conflicts. Patanjali called it Yama and Niyama. Buddha called it right way of living.
Secondly, Yoga imparts clarity that overcomes many a mental block that result in problems. We often tend to make mistakes because we are deluded by our myopic vision that does not allow us to see beyond our limited circle of self and our family. Yoga widens this vision by providing us with a more holistic view.
But unfortunately, many modern Yoga Gurus totally ignore these pre-requisites while submerging their disciples in clever play of words that would lead them further into lack of clarity and self-centeredness.
Neither by their life style, nor by their deeds these teachers set right models. They are rarely exemplary. They are busy building their empire. They call likes of Jesus and Buddha as old fashioned. They say that there is nothing wrong in going after worldly gains beyond one’s basic needs.
They have turned Yoga into yet another lucrative business.
Yoga becomes totally ineffective in such cases. And may even become a source of problems.
I am sure, there are Gurus who are exceptions. Probably such Gurus rarely get the lime light. They always remain behind the scene, shunning all publicity. They silently do their job without pomp and show. You will be lucky if you find one such person.
But in general, understanding Yoga better will guard against much aberrations that have crept into Yoga and take us into a more peaceful world.
Let us continue our discussions in the next episode.
A series revolving around Mind – Science of Mind, Philosophy of Mind, Notions of reality, Mind modulation, Domains beyond Mind, and so on. © Dr. King 2019
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