Last Updated:
Dr N Ganesh Rao, Founder ACT Yoga (Authentic, Classical, Traditional Yoga), is a well-known authority on Yoga who has been guiding students across Universities and Institutes as a professor and Ph.D. guide, for over 20 years
Dr N Ganesh Rao, Founder ACT Yoga (Authentic, Classical, Traditional Yoga), says one must give up inadequate understanding and misunderstanding of what Yoga is, and understand its ultimate purpose. (News18)
Yoga is usually understood as a set of physical exercises, breathing, and meditation techniques. But when viewed in its entirety, Yoga is a philosophy, a culture that can help one reach excellence, and a comprehensive therapy.
Dr N Ganesh Rao, Founder ACT Yoga (Authentic, Classical, Traditional Yoga), is a well-known authority on Yoga who has been guiding students across universities and institutes as a professor and Ph.D. guide for over 20 years. He is also a Technical Expert at Quality Control of India (QCI) & Yoga Certification Board (YCB). In an interview, Rao clarified concepts and shared valuable insights on the real purpose of Yoga.
Edited Excerpts:
A PATH TO BECOMING A REFINED HUMAN BEING
Doing Yoga influences all four dimensions of the personality — body, mind, energy, and consciousness. Because it brings about betterment of the human being at all these levels, it is a holistic science, says Rao.
A better, more refined human being is not just more capable of accomplishing the task taken up, but also one who’s more capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the ‘station’ occupied in life.
At a higher — the spiritual — level, a better and refined human being is one in whom the ‘I’ (ego, ahankara or asmita) has reduced to the point of extinction.
THERAPY THROUGH YOGA HAPPENS IN THESE FOUR WAYS
As a Preventive Measure: Everyday practice of Yoga along with a Yogic lifestyle ensures good health, wherein therapy may not be necessary at all.
As Treatment: Yoga practices and philosophy are used as therapeutic techniques. Hatha Yoga, in particular, clearly states the therapeutic benefits of Yogic practices (Shuddhi Kriyas, Asanas, Pranayama, Mudras, etc.)
As a Healing Technique: This happens where therapy is not possible, like in terminal ailments, or where the cause of pain and suffering cannot be removed such as for someone who has lost a dear one. Here, Yoga helps in emotionally empowering the person to bear the strain and pain of life in the most optimum manner. Yogic counselling, which influences the outlook towards life, has tremendous scope here.
Through Transformation: The direction of transformation is from unawareness to awareness, from body and mind to consciousness, from ignorance to realisation of the Self.
THE PROMISE OF TRANSFORMATION
Transformation is different from change. When A ‘changes’ to B, B can go back to being A again. But when the caterpillar `transforms’ into a butterfly, the butterfly can never become a caterpillar again.
Such is the effect of Yoga practices, when also accompanied with living a Yogic lifestyle. They bring about a transformation in the practitioner, who becomes a person of a different kind and there is no possibility of going back to being the earlier person.
CAN YOGA WORK FOR AN ATHEIST? WHAT ABOUT THE NIYAMA ‘ISHVARAPRANIDHANA’ (SURRENDER TO GOD)?
In the Yoga Sutras, ‘Ishvara’ as defined by Patanjali is not God, unlike in other Indian philosophies, but ‘Purusha Vishesha’. Purusha is the Consciousness Principle; Purusha Vishesha is that Consciousness that is not embodied, was never embodied, and will never be embodied.
‘Pranidhana’ is total surrender. What is surrendered? The empirical ‘I’ within oneself. So, Ishvarapranidhana is surrender of your ‘I’ principle at the altar of Pure Consciousness — this surrender makes it easy to bear miseries related to the body and mind. Yoga will work for the atheist, if their goal is to attain Self-Realisation, where the ‘Self’ is Pure Consciousness.
In fact, Yoga darshana is based on Samkhya darshana, which is atheistic. Yoga darshana of Patanjali is referred to as `Sa-Ishvara Samkhya’.
HOW TO EXPEDITE PROGRESS IN YOGA
First thing, give up inadequate understanding and misunderstanding of what Yoga is, and understand its ultimate purpose. Yoga has to do with total control of the mind to reach the ‘no-mind state’. This is the only goal of the practices contained in all the limbs of Yoga, the Ashtangas of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
To reach there, one must restrain one’s restless and lethargic (rajasic and tamasic) nature, and try to increase the sattvic concentration nature. Then, transcend even this concentrated state to reach the no-mind state, the state of pure awareness.
The progress of a Yoga practitioner is directly proportional to the efforts put in by him or her, known as ‘sadhana’. Lack of diligence or persistence will hinder progress, obviously. Care also must be taken to avoid wrong habits, the company of wrong people, getting swayed by distractions, and getting overly attached to anything. And a correct understanding of life has to be developed so that when disturbing life-situations related to job, relationships, physical and mental illness, etc. strike, one can view them in a balanced manner.
CAN THOSE WHO HAVE A DISEASE DO YOGA AND REACH SAMADHI?
Samadhi means total concentration. Incidentally, concentration is the secret of good health!
Yes, illnesses, both physical and mental, are obstacles on the path of concentration. A healthy person is in a better state to concentrate than a non-healthy one. However, the latter will require more efforts, more determination and more will power. That’s it.
Sabija Samadhi is the state of highest concentration, where siddhis (esoteric powers) are attained. Sabija Samadhi leads to Nirbija Samadhi where no object remains; it is the no-mind state and the meditator is established in the state of pure consciousness. When Nirbija Samadhi state becomes permanently established, it is referred to as Dharmamegha Samadhi in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras — the state of Kaivalya.
The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at swatikamal@gmail.com.