AYUSH YCB Yoga Certification

The world changed when a pandemic outbreak meant that we need to safeguard ourselves and others by staying at home and our Prime Minister announced a lockdown in India on 23rd March, 2020. 

This meant we all stayed inside our homes for an unlimited time which is bound to affect one’s mental and physical health. It is us ourselves who have to take certain efforts in order to fight the quarantine blues. Let’s take Yoga, for example. Yoga is brought to the world by India from 5,000 years back. You’d notice Yoga mentioned in Rigveda. By the time it’s 3rd century BC, Yoga was popular amongst other religions as well. In Buddhism, Yoga was practised to attain the highest spiritual state of one’s being. Coming to the 5th century, Yoga was practiced alongside meditation. With time, Yoga essentially became a part of India’s identity. 

Today, Yoga is followed globally. Each country has its own version to offer with the same goal of a better mental stability and physical well being. 

COVID-19 AND YOGA

Coronavirus inhabits symptoms of the common cold- difficulty in breathing, fever, pneumonia; it is as well zoonotic in nature. Covid-19 has reached a pandemic level where many are  quarantined in homes and hospitals where they’d not be allowed to physically meet any of their family members. 

The times certainly are tough and beings with it nothing to be happy about. And within situations like these where you have to stay inside your house, it is bound to feel melancholic even without a cause. Apart from this as the respiratory system is the first to be affected by the virus, ensuring Yoga Asanas which helps build our immune system and make our lungs stronger are suggested by experts including our Prime Minister and Health Ministry. 

The PM of India addressed the country emphasizing on the importance of Yoga throughout on Yoga day on 21st June 2020 when Yoga at Home and Yoga with family was widely practiced. 

To sum up his 15 minute long speech, he pointed essentially at- 

1. Everyone can benefit from yoga and become stronger mentally and physically. 
2. Practicing various Pranayamas like Kapalbhaati, Anulom Vilom and Asanas will help to fight this pandemic as they strengthen one’s respiratory system.
3. It will help us cope with the pandemic with a stronger emotional and mental wellbeing and help us gracefully face the challenges. 
4. Yoga lowers stress hormones and strengthens the nervous system while also stimulating the lymphatic system, which removes toxins from the body. As our daily routines and work patterns are disrupted, Yoga will inculcate a sense of discipline in one’s existence. 
5. Yoga calms the mind and can contribute to deeper, regulated sleep, which is crucial for wellness; sleep is one of the most important factors in healing and maintaining a healthy immune system.

Similar thoughts are voiced by dignitaries of India.

• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, as well emphasised that Yoga helps keeps one’s body fit and the mind serene.
• M. Venkaiah Naidu as well, stressed that the only way one can overcome their fight with this unlike pandemic is to practice Yoga. 
• Shripad Naik- Union AYUSH Minister has made it clear that Covid-19 is less likely to happen to people who are regularly practising Yoga. 

CONCLUSION 

All in all, it is safe to say that Yoga does no harm when it comes to our emotional, mental and physical state. If practiced regularly, it indeed helps us focus better in life and helps us fight the Corona blues gracefully as well as make us stronger.