Guiding Light: How yoga and spirituality makes you happier

Yoga is a tool for holistic wellness which promotes physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Through its practices and philosophy, yoga gently nudges us towards discovering our authenticity and purity. Yoga teaches us that happiness can be found very much within ourselves if we learn to remain sincere to our true nature. Yoga gently guides us towards the path of bliss rather than seeking instant gratification or external validation. Here are some of the simple, yet profound ways that yoga touches our lives:

Tune into the self

Through the process of asanas, pranayama and meditation, yoga teaches us to enjoy our own company. By making a habit out of the practice, we begin to seek love, validation and acceptance within ourselves which will lead us to be truly happy. By showing up for ourselves on the mat, we are showing sincerity and commitment towards self-love. Regardless of outside circumstances or people's love for themselves and life is overflowing.

Acquaint yourself with your Breath

Yoga slowly and steadily builds a connection between you and your breath through its various practices. Learning to observe your breath brings stillness and a sense of calmness within your body, and mind. This empowers you to choose how you respond, giving you control over the situation instead of vice versa. You should turn to yoga to become the controller of your emotions. When you observe your breathing during stress, anger, or anxiety you will see how your breathing is laboured, fast, hard, erratic or shallow. Calming your breathing leads to a calmer you.

Set your Goal

Meditation relaxes and slows down the mind making way for clarity and increased focus. This becomes possible with repetition and consistency. Through these incredibly powerful tools of pranayama and meditation, you begin to grow greater awareness. This helps you in developing a more relaxed mental state. A mind that is still, and free from restlessness will experience increased and sharpened focus. Distractions whether external or internal take us away from finding our purpose or achieving our goals. With these techniques of meditation, and mindful awareness yoga brings out the best in you. This increases your productivity in all areas of your life, leaving you content and transformed.

Yoga enables us to take a course of action that sets us off into an inner journey of self-discovery and transformation. This leads us to uncover resources within us rich in potential. This ancient and divine practice strengthens our mental well-being by giving us clarity and builds the resilience required to face any of life’s challenges. Yoga allows us to explore and reach out to a higher and greater power for our direction and purpose in life.

(The author is a spiritual yogic master. Founder, chairman and course director of Akshar Yoga, and president of the World Yoga Organisation)

Published on: Wednesday, March 02, 2022, 07:00 AM IST