We talk a lot and sermonise about yoga these days. We talk of yoga as a sublime regimen of mind and body. We refer to it as the path to accretion of knowledge, strength and skills.
All of this is true. But yoga as a term drawn from our primeval cosmic scriptures called the Vedas means the above and much more. Yoga means summation, literally.
But how does the process of summation facilitate all-round human development? This is important to know. Yoga is the summation of mind and intellect. The human mind is the driver of all human senses—cognitive and karmic.
It is the instrument of imagination and determination. The human intellect is the instrument of discernment—between right and wrong, between truth and falsity, between moral and immoral, between proper and improper. Together, the mind and intellect constitute the most important twin entity in a human being.
The human being is essentially the animate soul who seeks fulfilment and liberation from sorrow. But how does this desire get fulfilled? Through the medium of mind and the intellect. The soul which is the animate entity—the essence of the human being—works primarily through the mind and intellect.
If these two entities are used properly and well combined with true knowledge, all human desires—mundane or spiritual—can be fulfilled and the human soul can reach its ultimate destination of salvation. Yoga is the means to do it. Backed by true knowledge, if the human being (or human soul) uses its intellectual faculty well without succumbing to surges of emotion, it can carve out its way to success, happiness, fulfilment and salvation through the thick jungle of worldly life.
Bridging that elusive gap between the mind and the intellect is the key and this is truly the essence of yoga. By bridging this gap, you, as human beings, do not give in to anger, greed, pride, passion and attachment. You remain balanced and level-headed.
You remain calm, composed and peaceful within. You are guided by an unsullied intellect providing you with a correct understanding of things—free from biases and prejudices. You do not make a single mistake in your journey forward.
You master the art of handling situations effectively and optimally. Yoga is the discipline of the mind and the intellect. The intellect is in control of the erratic, excitable and fickle mind.
But the intellect works under the instruction and direction of the soul. So you, the human soul, have to command the intellect to reign in the intrinsically erratic mind and move progressively forward in this tumultuous journey. Yoga is the bridging of the gap between the mind and the intellect.
It is the summation of the two faculties to bring them in unison and harmony. This is verily the cornerstone of a happy, successful, rewarding and fulfilling life. Yoga is the key and yoga is the prime tool in spiritual practice.
In the present world dominated by materialism and material pursuits, yoga is being commercialised, which is rather unfortunate. Spiritualism is on the wane. Since man is essentially a spiritual entity, his goals are all spiritual.
Fulfilment of material desires is a means of spiritual development. When through multiple sojourns in mundane life, the human soul has assimilated the tenets of dharma or righteousness, it has achieved the prime purpose of living and become eligible for emancipation from all sorrow. Yoga, as a disciplinary approach, shows the way.
Let us not misunderstand or misrepresent yoga. Let us not degrade it to make money out of it or overly commercialise it. This will defeat its very purpose, besides diluting it and robbing it of its potency and power.
Let us strengthen and refine our basics about the purpose of life and universal, immanent metaphysical truths. The Vedas and scriptural texts derived from them show the way. The traveller is spiritual.
The journey is spiritual. Only the path and terrains are mundane. Yoga is the set of knowledge threads of techniques and tools to complete this journey in the earliest time frame because thereafter eternal bliss—the ultimate prize of human existence—awaits us.
Let us be in alignment with the core truths handed down to us by the omniscient master of the universe— the Creator Ishwar..
