YOGA SUDHA - Dec. -2021

Abstract

My dear Brothers and Sisters, Education is not the mere acquisition of knowledge but is a process to manifest the perfection already in man. It should help a growing child to blossom into a beautiful flower. We want men with a capital ‘M’ said Swami Vivekananda. For making such human beings, emphasis on all-round personality development and social consciousness should be adopted. Then it is not enough if our students improve their IQ levels and gather more and more information in schools and colleges, but, the system of education should allow them to develop 1. Their physical, mental, emotional and intellectual dimensions (the four-fold personality development) for the build of a harmonious total personality; and 2. Civic sense, national awareness, service zeal and spiritual urge (the four-fold consciousness) in our students. It is towards this goal of man-making and nation building that we should orient our education. If this basic direction is set in our education system, the present decadence of our society will vanish in the future and our Bharat will regain her past glory. The syllabus should be so formulated that total personality and social Consciousness are promoted effectively. Yoga, the ancient science of India is a conscious process for gaining mastery over the mind and thereby grow faster from the animal level to become normal human beings and reach heights of greatness, super-human levels and ultimately attain divinity or perfection itself. This conscious process of gaining mastery helps us to manifest the innate potentialities dormant in all of us and blossom us with the four-fold personality development mentioned above. Yoga harmonizes our growth and through balance helps in total development. Such growth brings divine qualities like love, affection, sacrifice, service, etc. which are at the base of the four-fold consciousness. In this sense, Yoga is a science of holistic living and synonymous with basic or real education. Hence, Yoga is being introduced and promoted in the educational system. Yoga has also become the fashion of the day. Millions all over the world have taken to Yoga practices. Thanks to our Hon’ble Prime minister, the induction of International Day for Yoga on June 21st has brought billions of people to India and all over the world. Gradually the understanding of Yoga is getting deepened. Yoga as a science of holistic living featured by peace and poise, health and happiness, energy conservation, and efficiency is being recognized by larger and larger sections of the society rather than as physical acrobatics if not as a rope trick. Yoga with its usefulness to the modern man to relieve his stresses and tensions, to the patients in preventive, treatment, rehabilitation and promotion of positive health, to the professionals in increasing their skills and improve the quality of life, etc. in attracting people from all sections of the society. Further, its sound basis in Upanishads offers a fundamental understanding of human misery in general and hence a direction towards greater and greater bliss. Based on this wisdom, a holistic value system is offered by Yoga; this, used in society, can build ideal social orders. It appears that we are heading from the era of science and technology to an age of Yoga and Spirituality. YOGA should be started right from school education. Systematic introduction of Yoga Techniques, the right way, can certainly go a long way in reconstructing the lost value system in our society which has been the prime cause for the decadence. This needs systematic development of syllabi, their scientific assessments to establish their usefulness to students at different levels which also help in improving the right techniques and by eliminating the wrong ones. Vivekananda Kendra has been involved in this process from 1975 itself of man-making and nation building education. The Yoga wing has developed Yoga courses towards such a goal and the Yoga Research Foundation has started the assessment programs. Many primary schools in India have started using our syllabus which has been developed for the all-around personality development of students. The New Education Policy coming into force in India should include these missing dimensions in our education system which will be the greatest contribution of India to the entire world. Dr H R Nagendra