Embracing a Healthier Life with Yoga

Health is our first wealth—without it, material success feels hollow. Yoga is the key to balance, strength, and true well-being in today’s chaotic world.

International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21st, an initiative started by our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. The reserved theme this year is 'Yoga for one Earth, one health'. The word 'yoga' comes from the Sanskrit 'yuj', meaning 'to join' or 'to unite'. "Maharshi Patanjali, known as the Father of Yoga, was the first to outline its core teachings and true purpose. Ancient texts also refer to Lord Shiva as Adi Yogi, the first yogi.

We often hear the phrase ‘Health is Wealth’, but are we doing enough to convert our health into ultimate wealth? Here are a few handy tips to achieve a healthy body and mind.

Scientific studies have shown that practicing yoga offers numerous physical and mental benefits, including stress relief, better sleep, pain reduction, increased stamina, and overall well-being.

A healthy body and mind are as valuable as money. True luxury and happiness lie in having a healthy life, not in accumulating wealth or materialistic possessions. Both go hand in hand; one without the other seems completely incomplete. Material success appears to be hollow without good health. You can only make good use of wealth when you are physically and mentally fit, as health is undoubtedly our greatest asset.

In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining good health calls for conscious effort and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Challenges like hectic schedules, stress, and constant distractions are real and cannot be ignored. But it’s essential to address them by making time for regular exercise, balanced eating, quality sleep, and effective stress management. Prioritising these habits greatly enhances overall well-being.

To make yoga part of your daily routine, start with small, manageable steps. Consistency is key—simple poses and breathing techniques can make a lasting difference.

Key tips to begin yoga

Set a regular time and place: Choose a time and place that suits you best and stick to the schedule without distraction and disruption.

Take small steps, but be consistent: Even a few minutes of yoga are beneficial. Consistency is more important than duration. Progress gradually helps build up the duration and complexity slowly as you become more confident and tenacious. Setting overly ambitious goals at the start may lead to setbacks.

Learn basic pose: To begin with, learn basic poses rather than going for complex ones, as they demand enormous flexibility, which would be possible only after a certain time. Choose poses that resonate with you and that you enjoy doing.

Breathing techniques: Incorporating breathing techniques like pranayama is highly beneficial.

Make it a habit: As part of your daily habit, include yoga to energise your body and mind.

Embrace mindfulness: Practice self-awareness and meditation for your overall well-being. Meditation is a form of mental exercise. End your day with a few minutes of meditation before sleep.

Importance of Yoga: To truly reap its benefits, it is essential to adopt and practice yoga daily. In today’s stressful world, it is highly recommended for people of all ages to maintain physical, mental, and emotional well-being. A key aspect of yoga is its ability to train the mind, helping individuals harness their full potential and manage emotional imbalances effectively.

Benefits of Yoga

Over the years, life has become more stressful and chaotic because of economic pressures, societal expectations, constant social media, negativity, changing family dynamics, poor work-life balance, and technology overuse.

Yoga offers a holistic approach with clear physical benefits—better flexibility, balance, strength, stamina, energy, improved breathing, and support for pain and weight management.

Emotionally, it eases stress and anxiety, improves sleep, sharpens focus, and boosts self-awareness, memory, and overall mental health.

Its power and benefits are vast, cutting across all age groups. Yoga is a timeless gift for well-being—a tool to live fully and freely.

Health is our greatest asset, often appreciated only after it’s lost. So this International Yoga Day, make an unbreakable commitment to adopt, practice, and prioritise your health.

Stay healthy and well.

Happy International Yoga Day!

(The writer is an educator based in Thane.)