Yoga and its Relevance in the Modern Times

Written and reviewed by Rohit Singh, Computer Science & Commerce faculty at UniDrill (MCA, Osmania University · 6 years teaching). Based on NCERT Health and Physical Education Class XI, Chapter 6.

Why does a cricketer sit still for five minutes before a match?

Watch a batter before a big innings. Some close their eyes, breathe slowly and shut out the noise of the crowd. That calm is not luck. It is the practical side of an idea that Indian tradition has refined for thousands of years: if you can steady your breath and your mind, your body performs better. This chapter explains what yoga is, where it came from, its main paths, how to practise safely and what each practice does. It rewards a student who learns the names with their meanings, because most questions ask what a word means or who should avoid a practice.

What yoga means

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to join, to yoke and to unite. The chapter calls yoga a science of living that works on the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual levels, brings harmony between body and mind, and improves the quality of life. It is an ancient system of self development and the discipline of body and mind.

Why the chapter links yoga with modern life. Children face stress at school, at home and on the playground. When this stress goes on for long it leads to physical, mental and emotional problems, psychosomatic disease and social unrest. The chapter traces these problems to an imbalance between the physical, mental and spiritual levels and a materialistic way of life, with attachment and endless ambition as the two primary causes of suffering. Yoga works on self awareness, self control, relaxation, concentration, flexibility and coordination.

According to the Upanishads, yoga is a higher state of consciousness and a process to ease the mind and manifest wisdom.

History and development

Beyond the textbook. For the exam: Patanjali gave the eight limbs of yoga, called Ashtanga Yoga. In reality: the eight limbs are traditionally listed as yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi, and the chapter's practices fit this ladder: asana and pranayama come first, then dharana and dhyana. Why it matters: the chapter says dhyana is a part of Ashtanga yoga that one reaches after shatkarma, asana and pranayama, so knowing the order helps you place each practice.

Two views. For the exam: yoga is a science of living that works on the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual levels together. Another reading: scholars note that the older traditions stressed ethical discipline and meditation, while the Hatha tradition drew attention to the body, and modern school and fitness programmes often present yoga mainly through postures. Why it matters: a question that asks about the "ultimate goal" expects moksha or higher consciousness, not fitness alone.

Schools of yoga: four paths to one aim

The basic goal of yoga is to attain bliss and to give true knowledge about human beings. Seers offered different routes, known as schools of yoga.

Pause and predict: a coach tells her team, "Give your best effort in every match, but do not tie your happiness to the scoreboard." Which school of yoga is she describing, and which term fits?

Check your answer: Karma Yoga, and the term is Nishkama Karma: action performed as duty, without expectation of the result.

Guidelines for yoga practice

A person who practises yoga is called a sadhaka. The guidelines are grouped by time. Shauch (cleanliness of surroundings, body and mind) is the key prerequisite.

Why an empty stomach. Many practices bend, twist or press the abdomen, so a full stomach makes them uncomfortable and unsafe. The only posture the chapter allows just after a meal is Vajrasana.

Yoga and wellness

Wellness is a state of being healthy. Yoga promotes it by bringing harmony among the physical, emotional, intellectual, social, environmental and spiritual dimensions. Adolescence brings tremendous physical, emotional and psychological changes and therefore stress. Regular practice among students is linked in the chapter with better concentration, lower blood pressure, better grades, improved relationships, confidence, better sleep and calmness.

Shodhana kriyas: internal cleansing

These purification practices belong to Hatha Yoga and give a sense of relaxed lightness.

The benefits the chapter lists: neti helps with the nasal passages, headaches, stress and ENT problems; Kapalbhati purifies the frontal air sinuses, massages the abdominal organs and increases lung capacity; Agnisara massages the abdominal organs, improves digestion and strengthens the abdominal muscles. Jala neti is also called a prerequisite for cleaning the respiratory passages for pranayama.

Surya namaskara: twelve steps in one round

Surya namaskara, or sun salutation, is a set of seven asanas in twelve steps, performed with breathing. It energises the body and mind. One round is the twelve steps; repeat using the other leg in the fourth position.

Avoid it in high blood pressure, fever, slipped disc and hernia, and do not practise beyond your capacity.

Asanas: names that tell you the shape

Most asana names describe the shape or meaning, so the meaning is the key to remembering them.

Sorting the asanas by body position. Standing poses start from samasthiti (Tadasana, Vrikshasana, Padahastasana, Ardha chakrasana, Trikonasana, Parshvakonasana). Sitting poses (Padmasana, Vajrasana, Bhadrasana and the poses that start from dandasana) are done on the ground. Prone poses (Makrasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana) are done face down and supine poses (Pawanmuktasana, Setubandhasana, Viparitkarani, Shavasana) face up. The chapter adds a rule: bending should always be followed by counter bending, for example a back bend after a forward bend.

Pause and predict: after a heavy lunch you have ten minutes before your exam and want to sit in a calm yogic posture. Which one can you use?

Check your answer: Vajrasana. It is the only posture the chapter says can be practised just after a meal.

Pranayama: breath control

Prana means vital force and ayama means restraint. Pranayama is a breathing technique by which breath regulates and controls prana. It has three phases.

Yogic deep breathing combines abdominal, thoracic and clavicular breathing. In inhalation the abdomen moves out first, then the chest cavity expands outward and upward, and finally the air fills the clavicular region; exhalation reverses the order. Repeat four to five times.

Nadishodhana (anuloma viloma). Nadi means channel. The nostrils are used alternately: close the right nostril with the thumb, inhale through the left, exhale through the right, inhale through the right and exhale through the left, with the right hand in nasagra mudra and the left in jnana mudra. The ratio of inhalation to exhalation is 1:1, with no sound from the nose. It calms and steadies the mind, improves focus and supports conditions such as stress and sleep problems.

Ujjayi. Sit in padmasana or siddhasana, contract the back of the throat and inhale slowly through both nostrils so that a mild, uniform sound arises from the partly closed glottis; exhale slowly through the left nostril. It is described as clearing phlegm from the throat and keeping the head cool.

Dhyana: meditation

Dhyana is a part of Ashtanga yoga and the gateway to the inner world. It is reached after shatkarma, asana and pranayama and involves focusing on a single point, either a mantra or an object. To practise it: sit in a meditative posture with hands in jnana mudra on the knees, spine straight and eyes closed, and observe your inhalation and exhalation for 5 to 7 minutes; then bring awareness back, rub the palms together and place them on the eyes before opening them. The chapter says dhyana activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body and mind, helps control blood pressure and normalise heart rate, and reduces anxiety.

Beyond the textbook. For the exam: dhyana is meditation and one of the practices in the chapter. In reality: the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014, and it has been observed since 2015. Why it matters: it shows yoga as a part of everyday health programmes worldwide, which is the sense of "relevance in modern times".

Exam traps

60-second revision

Where this chapter connects

• Previous: Team Games is where the discipline and concentration this chapter trains are tested in competition.
• Same theme: Understanding Health gives the dimensions of health that yoga is said to balance, and Health Related Physical Fitness covers flexibility, which many asanas develop.
• Also useful: Safety and Security covers injury prevention, which parallels the cautions listed for each practice.