In this chapter, BKS Iyengar gives us his definition of health and the beneficial effects of asanas on our health and well being.
Most people think of the body when they think of health. But, in yoga, when we speak of health, we must consider the mind along with the body. Both the mind and the body are inextricably linked to each other. The condition of one affects the condition of the other.
To be healthy is to exist in a state of balance and coordination at all levels: physical, mental, intellectual, moral and spiritual.
To keep the body healthy there are two types of exercises
Activities targeting certain areas of the body or a certain set of muscles; e.g. running, tennis, pickle ball, etc.
Activities that place equal emphasis on all parts of the body; yoga.
However, practicing yoga is not just a physical, mechanical activity. Each pose is practiced with intent, awareness and accuracy. Practice brings effortlessness to the pose so that in due course, the body comes to rest in the pose with ease. Along with the body, the mind and intelligence also become stable in the pose. However, this state is experienced much later. In the beginning, asana practice is often considered as a physical workout or body contortions.
Mr. Iyengar goes on to say that yogasanas are far superior to other types of exercise for the following reasons. Yogasanas:
Move muscle mass.
Exercise the internal organs and the endocrine glands.
Strengthen the body and fortify the mind.
brings steadiness
Bestow health, loosens the body, pacifies the mind, brings stability, balance and discipline.
Improve fitness
Effectively treat disease and pain
Perfecting the asanas requires committed effort and persistence. He talked about this cornerstone of yoga in a previous chapter: Y.S. 1.12 Abhyasa vairagya tannirodhah. Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.. Stilling the movements of consciousness also comes from come from the yoga sutras: Y.S. 1.2 Yoga cittah vrtti nirodhah – yoga is that which restricts the play of consciousness
What he means by this is that while holding an asana the practitioners mind dwells only in the present. This helps ward off pain, anxiety and other negative emotions. In this way yoga can said to be a remedy for suffering. BKS Iyengar also says: Yogah duhkavrtti nirodhah – yoga is that which restrains the play of grief and other negative emotions.
Practiced under proper guidance*, yogasanas are extremely effective in treating various ailments of the body and mind without any side effects. In this way, yoga can also be a preventive discipline. Y.S. 1.16 - Heyam dukham anagatam – with the practice of yoga the pains that are yet to come can be avoided.
*This practicing under proper guidance is extremely important. after all the years I have been practicing, I still need guidance. I still need someone to watch and correct me when I have gone wrong. Patanjali warns about this in the Yoga Sutras. You’ve heard me talk about this in class. It is called Bhranti Darshana which is false or invalid knowledge, or illusion.
In the next chapters we will study the basics of asana practice, the types of asanas and the technique of various postures and their benefits.