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 What, you may well ask, could they have known
about stress thousands of years ago?
About deadlines, road rage
(traffic), fatigue, burnout, multi- tasking, metacarpal syndrome?
About depression, psychosomatic illness, competition, performance
anxiety, TV, news, office, politics, etc.?
But you will be
surprised. Stress was actually an essential component of survival
for our forefathers. The burst of adrenaline brought on by an
encounter with a saber-tooth tiger gave them the speed to flee or
the strength to kill the monster beast. Today running away or
killing is not an option…so what can one do… |
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 You'd
be surprised…
A man before his time was Muni Patanjali, the father of Yoga. All
those many years ago, he foresaw the stress of living today and
came out with eight steps to follow for better health, happiness
and stress free life…. that is Ashtang Yog. In one sentence of
Sanskrit shloka: he says: follow eight steps of bliss/ harmony
i.e. YOGA – “Yam niyamaasan pranayam pratyahar dharna dhyan
samadhyoyshtangani!” |
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Patanjali, clearly understood stress, its causes, its
manifestations and, luckily for us, created an effective way to
manage, control and banish it. The modern world's answer to a
world of stress. That is yoga. Make no mistake yoga is no new age
mumbo- jumbo. It is based on tradition and years of scientific,
systematic research and practice of ashtang yog by KAIVALYADHAMA.
Today we all are enjoying the benefits of yoga because of Muni
Patanjali who wrote five thousands years ago and Swami
Kuvalyanandji, who first took yoga to the laboratory eighty five
years ago and presented scientific, systematic, therapeutic and
traditional yoga to us. |
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 From these eight steps (yoga) lets look at the few shlokas which
describe stress - why, how & remedies. The Stressors
are:“Avidyasmitaragdweshabhiniveshah kleshah!”
As per Patanjali meaning of above shloka
is lack of right spiritual knowledge, ' I' ness (ego), attachment, hatred are
disturbing factors (kleshas) and cause Stress.
'GEETA' has rightly identified the mind as the sole responsible
factor. Epicenter for stress is mind:
“Manah eav manushyanam karanam bandhmokshyoh!” |
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It means mind only creates bonds and freedom. GEETA also says;
“Dambhodarpobhimanashch krodhah parushyamewach!
Agyanam chabhijatasy parth sampadasurim!!” |
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Meaning for highly qualified persons, hipocracy, intoxication by
one's achievements, arrogance, egocentricness and short temper
becomes one's bad quality. Such developments invite lots of
fallacies in one's life. Results of all these may manifest as
disease. (Stress) |
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As patanjali describes what happens if you have the
above-mentioned negative qualities:
“Vyadhistyanasanshayapramadalasyaviratibhrantidarshanalabdhabhumikatwanavasthitwanichitavikshepasteantarayah!” |
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Meaning disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, idleness,
enjoyments, false perception, missing the point and instability
are causes of destruction of mind and are main obstacles in
achieving a goal i.e. Bliss/peace or Yogic joy. |
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 Do you know nearly 85% of us pay
“stress tax”?
Manifestations of stress are psychological and behavioural.
Psychological-trembling, tremors, incisiveness, inefficiency and
at times in executing responsibilities and escapism. Behavioural -
social or personal, intolerance, indecisiveness, over estimation
or under estimation or failure to judge, miscalculations and many
of such phenomena. Stress is responsible for 85% of diseases and
problems in urban cities. Some of the major health problems are
heart desease, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Ulcers, Insomnia,
Asthma, PMS, Low Libido and Psychosomatic disorders . |
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SO WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS
As per Rishi Patanjali's Yoga Sutra….
“Yogashchittavruttinirodhaha”
Means- Yoga practices help to achieve more inner awareness and
purity of mind & soul. |
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 Muni Patanjali has given more solutions to stress problems as
well:
“Maitrikarunamuditopekshanam sukhdukhpunyapunyvishayanam
bhavnatashchittaprasadanam!”
Means To minimize stress, develop qualities of friendliness
towards happy people, kindness and compassion towards people who
are unhappy. Show respect for saintly/Godly people and
indifference towards vicious people. Cultivating above qualities
will bring Chitta Prasadanam i.e. BLISS/PEACE OR YOGIC JOY |
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To achieve above qualities and to be stress free one has to
practice yoga that includes eight steps of patanjali.
1.Yama's “Ahinsa satyasney brahmacharyaparigrah ayamah!” Meaning-
non violence, truth, non stealing, devotion to the ultimate and
attitude of non possessiveness |
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2. Niyama's “Shauch santosh tapah swadhyayeshwarprani dhanani
niyamah!” Meaning- cleanliness, contentment, austerity,
self-recitation, worship of God. |
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3. Asan. (Postures) |
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4.Pranayam (breath control) |
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5. Pratyahar (withdrawal of senses)
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6. Dharna (Concentration) |
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7. Dhyan (Meditation) |
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8. Samadhi (bliss/tranquility) one can begin with asan pranayam
dhyan and yogic lifestyle.
(Must try to follow YAM and NIYAM too.)
'Dhyanaheyastadvrttayah'. Means meditation can take care of your
stress (mind). So do whatever form of Meditation that suits you. |
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Holy book Geeta also says to minimize Stress-
Yuktaharviharasya yuktachestasya karmsu, yuktaswpnavabodhasya yogo
bhavati dukhaha.
Means-Those who eat moderately, recreation is regular, efforts in
work are balanced, sleep is moderate and wakefulness is also
moderate then their practice of Yoga will take away all Stress.
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As we all know what we eat we are. Yogic diet means MITAHAR/SATVIC
(25% empty stomach, 25% liquid and 50% satvik food). Which keeps
you always in balanced state or in harmony. |
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In short have discipline,
determination and devotion in what you do and to handle stress you
have three options, fight, flight or flow. What do you choose?
Best approach would be to flow and learn to let go… |
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Simple self Stress Test- |
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Do you mostly answer negative? |
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Do you laugh very less then earlier? |
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Is your energy less now then before? |
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Do you feel guilty when relaxing? |
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Are you unclear about your goals in life? |
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Do you share/care others joy & sorrow? |
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Are you especially competitive? |
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Do you work harder then most people? |
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Do you easily become angry and jealous? |
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Do you have a constant need for achievements? |
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Do you do often 2-3 task simultaneously? |
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Do you get impatient if people or things hold you up? |
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Do you have difficulty in sleeping? |
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Do you experience low libido lately? |
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Are you not able to enjoy life? |
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If your answer is 'Yes' to any 8 of the above questions then you
are highly stressed and need to start YOGA immediately. |
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