The yoga of me and you as one

21st June is celebrated as International Yoga Day. The Sanskrit word “Yoga “ means union. Its relevance seems to be significant in today’s life. 

The first authentic description in “Yoga Sutra”, written by sage Patanjali in 200 B.C. In that book, he wrote about eight essential steps to follow to achieve enlightenment in life. As a flower bud gradually opens its petals to spread its fragrance all around, so too each person has the potential to blossom in many ways in life through the sincere practice of Yoga. 
Those prescribed eight steps are as follows: 1. Yama, practice of social ethics, 2. Niyama, practice of self-discipline, 3. Asana, practice of physical postures, 4. Pranayama, practice of mindful breathing, 5. Pratyahar, the practice of withdrawing the mind from outside stimuli, 6. Dharana, Practice to focus the mind inward, 7. Dhyana develops uninterrupted concentration, 8. In the final stage of Samadhi, one dissolves individual consciousness into Universal consciousness. 

Yoga Science was brought to the West by great saints such as Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda, Swami Rama, and many others more than 100 years ago. Western rational mind accepted Yoga only when they saw its miraculous results proved by scientific tests and often with perfect breath control, masters could demonstrate the union of body and mind through meditation, breath control and its manifestation on heart rate, as a starting point . Now Yoga is whole heartedly accepted by all and  many great western Yogis are inspiration for all in today’s world. 

My first encounter with Yoga was through a dramatic performance that lit up a lifelong interest in yoga. As a young girl I went to see a Yoga demonstration by students of the famous yoga Guru Bishtu Ghosh, (his student Manotosh Roy  had become world famous as the first Asian Mr. Universe). In that show, a young student named Reba Rakshit, had an elephant walk over a plank across her chest while she held her breath using pranayama. Also with her powerful concentration, she could pierce a row of balloons hanging a far distance behind her by their reflection in a mirror in front of her.  These are all good, but we must stay focused on the spirit of Yoga and that is to feel oneness with all. That goal is beautifully expressed in these few lines of Tagore’s song, “ I must meet you, not in solitude; you are mine where you are with all. Love spreads like light, and O my beloved, where you belong to every one, there you belong to me “(Geetabitan) .