Yoga, an age-old discipline, had its roots in ancient India during the 5th century B.C.E. Over time, its influence has transcended borders, spreading to every corner of the globe. The practice helps with anxiety, stress and depression and with heart condition and increases the feelings of wellbeing. It aids recovery and help to provide the confidence and motivation. International Yoga Day is celebrated on the 21st of June, since its inception in 2015. The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Humanity’. The aim is to spread awareness about the holistic nature of yoga and to promote the practice for better health.
Yoga prodigy on a mission
Ishwar Sharma, an 11-year-old with Indian origins residing in Kent, has emerged as an exceptional talent in the field of yoga. Influenced by his father Dr Vishwanath Sharma, Ishwar started practicing yoga when he was just 3-years-old and has an impressive tally of five world championships.
Ishwar is on a mission to make yoga “cool” for the GenZ. “When I do cool yoga postures it wows the audience and lots of kids want to take up yoga”, he said. His particular focus lies in reaching out to children with special needs, aiming to make yoga accessible and beneficial to them. He is an advocate of the yoga lifestyle and emphasises that “It is the lifestyle we all should have to prevent climate change and for a better peaceful world.”
Ishwar believes in “Yogaha karmasu kaushalam”, (योग: कर्मसु कौशलम्) which means Yoga is a skill in action and describes the union of “the self” to “supreme consciousness.” Yoga helps to keep the body and mind in the correct frame to achieve that. “My wish is that yoga and meditation be included in the school curriculum as an option along with others so kids can choose it”, he added further.
Ishwar tries to practice asana for 15 to 30 minutes on the weekdays and extends his practice to an hour on the weekends. Yoga helps this 12-year-old prodigy relax, focus better and has made him more disciplined. He is a yoga teacher and trains his peers in this practice, strengthening his commitment as well.
Yoga: a global practice
Despite its origin in India, Yoga has turned out to be a global practice and has gained major popularity in Canada, Singapore, Australia and Ireland. In the past decade, it has gained major traction in the UK as well.
In addition, an increasing number of individuals embark on journeys to yoga retreats across the globe, seeking to elevate their yoga proficiency and obtain certification as qualified yoga instructors. Destinations such as Bali, Ibiza, Thailand, and of course, India, stand as prominent hubs for the thriving yoga tourism industry, expanding in size and popularity with each passing year.
According to Di O’Reilly, British Wheel of Yoga Chair, the travel between Europe and India led to a cultural exchange that led to the European interests in physical fitness influencing yoga and eastern modalities. Yoga, on the other hand, became influential in the west - the best of both worlds! “With some inspirational yogis teaching in the west by the twentieth century, yoga caught on and fused with our growing interest in fitness and wellness perfectly. Also, yoga brought a spiritual and philosophical aspect to personal wellness that I believe was needed in the west”, she said. Growing evidence of yoga's beneficial effects and its highly versatile nature has only helped it grow in popularity.
In a fast paced world where Pilates and Zumba are the new trend, O’Reilly finds it interesting how the quieter, slower forms of yoga, such as yin and restorative yoga are becoming very popular. “I think these offer an alternative to our fast-paced world as they give us space to breathe and there's always the Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow types of yoga to appeal to those wanting a more physically demanding practice.”
Discussing the experience of yoga, O’Reilly said, “Yoga helps create change from within and is a very individual experience. Each practitioner approaches yoga differently and choose their type of practice accordingly, and all practices are equally valuable.” In her opinion, as long as one feels secure and comfortable with yoga, it's doing good things for you mentally, spiritually and physically!
Yoga can be miraculously beneficial for cancer survivors
Attendees at a global cancer conference were advised that doctors should recommend yoga classes to cancer survivors in order to reduce the risk of relapse, stressing that advising patients with the disease to take it easy can be harmful. Several trials have shown that engaging in daily 30-minute walks and exercise classes can lead to lower rates of post-cancer issues such as fatigue, as well as a decreased risk of cancer recurrence and death.
One study conducted by a team in the United States found that taking two yoga classes per week for a month significantly reduced inflammation in cancer survivors. The researchers, presenting their findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago, suggested that clinicians should consider prescribing yoga for survivors who experience inflammation. Inflammation may contribute to an increased risk of disease progression, recurrence, and the development of secondary cancers.
The study, conducted at the University of Rochester in New York State, involved over 500 patients, predominantly women who had recovered from breast cancer.
