Relevance of Yoga Practice in the wake of the Covid pandemic

What I have learnt and gained from Yoga.

Holistic wellbeing has never been more imperative than at the moment. A longstanding pandemic is not particularly the happiest circumstance for humanity to wake up and realize the importance and need for wellness and wellbeing, but nature works in mysterious ways.

Without further ado, I would like to get into why Yoga, in particular, has seen a rising popularity in this regard during Covid times as a means of wellness and wellbeing, and as to why it should.

1. Movement is an important cog in the wheel of wellbeing.

Yoga allows for movement of the body in an enclosed space at a time when movement outside is prohibited. Movement of the body is essential for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the entire body and by regulating our hormones.

Yogasanas help exercise the internal organs as well as connective tissues helping in not just maintaining a physically fit body, but also in physiological wellbeing. This is important at all times, but especially during a pandemic, when maintaining good health trumps all else.

Also as an athlete whose body is used to long distance running on a regular basis, I find a lifestyle with no movement mentally challenging. I have discovered that when I have not moved my body enough for a significant period of time, my sense of well-being, physical and mental, dips drastically, my productivity is lower, and relationships (even with the self) are less happy, and yoga has helped me in all these areas suitably.

2. Discipline and Structure.

The discipline of practicing yoga every day automatically creates discipline in all parts of our lives. It lends itself to structure in a time when structure has to be self-imposed and not imposed by external factors such as Offices or Train timings. A sense of discipline and structure is important to a sense of achievement and this leads to improved mental well-being.

3. Lung Health.

Hatha asanas require one to stay in an asana and breathe consciously and deeply for a minimum of five breaths. While it seems obvious that the breathing helps us go deeper into the asanas, it also becomes evident over time that it is the asanas that help regulate breath.

Correct and conscious breathing techniques help improve lung health. Over time we notice that our breathing has become slower and deeper, exercising more parts of the lungs, and our airways feel freer.

The Cardiovascular activity that some asanas provide, for instance Suryanamaskars, also contribute to increasing lung capacity and stamina.

4. Breath is equal to Mindfulness.

Breath has become the single most precious commodity during Covid times. Breath, that we have used all our lives without thinking about, breath that we took for granted, is now something we have become mindful of.

Yoga helps us regulate our breath through Asanas, Nadishodhana and Pranayama, and also helps control our Prana that ensures wellbeing in a more holistic manner.

In yogasanas, there is an inhale and exhale for every movement and one is made conscious of breath at every moment. Over time and practice, I have noticed how the body remembers to breathe correctly, in an involuntary manner, during yogasanas, almost like muscle memory, when it was previously a struggle to breathe correctly, or even remember to breathe during certain asanas. This natural, deeper way of breathing seeps into the rest of the day, and serves as a reminder at times when we struggle with anxiety and an inability to breathe. And for asthmatics, as in my case, to know that there is a way to regulate breath (through yogic breathing) even without having to use an inhaler is a blessing.

Conscious Breathing also helps us stay in the moment, that is, it helps us be mindful. This practice helps us experience what it feels like to be able to stay in the moment, to be mindful, which means in that moment there is no anxiety as to how the future will be, there is no sorrow as to what has happened in the past. It is a true state of being present.

5. Physical Practice for control of Prana and the mind.

In Yoga, the physical practice is used to control the Prana. And particularly in Hatha Yoga, Prana is used to control the mind.

Movement is important to allow the Prana to flow freely and easily in the body, and Yogasanas, when practised correctly, allow for this to happen naturally.

I have seen it to be true that physical movement or the practice of asanas is also an easier path to controlling the Prana (and emotions) than the exercise of willpower. Even simply going through the motions of physical practice, helps us control Prana, and allows for stillness, in a way that is very hard to do using willpower, especially during a pandemic, when mental reserves are running low for everyone.

Personally, I find this most evident during Pranayama at the end of the practice, more pronounced after every round of Kapalabati and Bhastrika, where stillness sets in naturally, dissipating thoughts, creating a blank state of mind.

6. Deeply Grounding Practice.

Yoga is a deeply grounding practice, helping tremendously by relieving anxiety during at a time when the entire world is feeling uncertain, unsettled and ungrounded.

The practice of synchronizing breath along with asanas helps in feeling embodied, i.e. helping us ground into our bodies. This is especially evident for me in certain asanas, such as Rajakapotasana and UttanaPristasana, and with yin yogasanas that help me feel grounded and relieve anxiety.

7. Maintaining Mental Health.

Particular Yogasanas are a natural anti-depressants and anxiety relievers. Forward bends are excellent for relieving anxiety by activating the parasympathetic system where as backbends and inversions elevate the mood of those suffering from depression. When practiced holistically, Yogasanas and Pranayama and Nadi shodhana help us in grounding and balancing the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous systems, allowing us to balance between our Fight or Flight responses and our Rest and Digest state of being.

8. Flexibility and Fearlessness.

While it is common knowledge that Yoga requires us to be flexible and contributes to our physical flexibility with regular practice, it requires a release of fear, in order be able to become flexible. This means that the mind has to become flexible before the body does.

I have seen this to be true especially when I work on backbends. For the longest time I could not do Suptavajrasana because I believed my body did not have the flexibility to bend that way. I later realized it was a fear of the unknown and letting go that allowed me to stay where I was. This has been true with Chakrasana and Sirsana (the fear of falling) as well. Once you let go of the fear, you realize that your mind as well as your body have become more flexible.

During a pandemic, it is important for us to exercise and practice this flexibility, otherwise the impositions of Working from Home, co-habitating with people for extended periods of time, feelings of isolation etc. can be mentally overwhelming. Flexibility teaches us that this is a temporary situation, and that we can bounce back to normal given some time, just as we do in asanas when they get too difficult to hold. And over time, we notice that can hold them for longer and longer.

9. Strength and Resilience.

It seems like an obvious statement that Yoga allows us to develop a stronger body and a stronger mind.

But this does not just mean that we are able to do 108 Suryanamaskars on Ratha Saptami, but also means that we become strong enough to say that ‘Today my body is not feeling strong enough, and hence I will do a less intense practice, or will rest.’ And then come back stronger the next day. Or have the mental strength and resilience to practice the asanas that are difficult every day, so we can get better at them. What I mean to say is, it takes strength to do, but it takes strength (and a certain wisdom) to not do.

Personally, I am intimidated by Chakrasana and Sirsana and hence practice them every single day. And every day I notice how much I improve and how much stronger I have become in different parts of my body. To stay in the discomfort is a strength, but to learn when to let go and stop without injuring myself, is also a strength.

This strength and resilience help us wade through turbulent times during a pandemic, and improve our physical health and immunity, and helps us feel a sense of self-confidence that is crucial to our emotional well-being.

10.Body Positivity and Contribution to Collective Consciousness.

Practiced consistently and progressively, Yoga helps us gain a fitter body, with stronger and more toned muscles. A fit body naturally raises self- confidence and body positivity, releasing a whole host of happiness hormones, such as Dopamine and Seratonin, leading to a higher vibrational state of being.

When you feel good about yourself, it is also true you feel good about the rest of the world, which is an important factor in elevating the collective consciousness of the world.

Other outcomes of having better body-confidence are higher energy levels and a higher state of productivity, things that are valued highly in the world we live in and are naturally in short supply during a pandemic.

11.Yoga as a means to celebrate wins.

As we have seen, Yoga helps us feel good in a number of ways. But an important factor is that it helps us feel good about ourselves.

It helps us celebrate wins at a time when we all need wins, but are unable to actively go out and seek it.

We all have different metrics that qualify as wins. For example, as a runner, I count my wins in terms of faster marathon times and podium finishes. As a business owner, I count my wins in terms of number of clients and revenue. As a Writer and Creative person, I count my wins in terms of publications and awards. In Pandemic times, these wins are difficult to achieve. While we could philosophize that validation is for the less evolved, we are all on the journey of evolution, and wins, no matter how small or big, motivate us to keep at the path we are on and do better.

Personally, I have found great joy and validation in being able to achieve some yogasanas that have been difficult for me. I have had severe physical limitations such as tight hips, due to years of running, and recently I have seen with great delight how much my hips have opened.

I rejoice when I am able to sit in Malasana with my feet together, heels touching the mat, when I previously needed to roll it up twice; I feel accomplished when I am able to sit in Padmasana and do an Utpliti, where I struggled to even sit in Ardhapadmasana a few months ago. To me, this is progress with a capital P, and this teaches me that no matter what our limitations are, we can overcome them with consistent practice.

These wins are important to celebrate and hold on to, especially during difficult times like these, when we may not be earning as much as we used to, we may have lost a job, or lost loved ones, or are living in isolation with no social contact.

12.Practicing Ahimsa.

Practicing Ahimsa on the self on the mat is a good way to be able to practice Ahimsa in every aspect of our lives.

To practice kindness and compassion to the self and the body by not pushing where the body resists, in practicing only up to Ardhabala, understanding why it is recommended, in the doing of four Suryanamaskars on some days instead of eight, because the body is fatigued or is resisting, these allow us to practice the same kindness and non-violence with people in our lives, in the words we use to address them, in our actions towards them, and in the noticing of how our defenses get in the way of practicing non-violence with others.

13.Acceptance and Adaptation aka The New Normal.

Yoga helps us accept our bodies’ limitations on the mat, but also at the same time embrace the miraculous growth and expansion that comes with consistent practice, making us to appreciate how the body adapts to practice, a kind of microevolution of our bodies, if we think about it.

For example, where once I could not bring myself up to a Chakrasana, within a span for four months I was holding it for a minute. Where previously I needed a block to place my knee in Ardhapadmapascima and could only hold my shin, I can place my knee down all the way (only on the right, however), and can hold my feet with both hands and touch my head to my knee, all in a span of two months. This sense of adaptation teaches us as to how our bodies and even our minds can adapt to new circumstances, sometimes with great ease.

This acceptance broadens to accept the limitations the world has set upon us, and helps us let go of a tendency to exert control, especially during a time when the world is full of limitations and we are told as to where we can go or not go; what we must wear- masks, double masks, triple masks; how we must behave — socially-distant standing 6 ft apart; not touching face; sainitize hands; disinfect fruits and deliveries, even though these are not what we are accustomed to. A sense of acceptance and adaptation becomes normal, the ‘new normal’ as we call it, allow us to flow effortlessly through our days and lives.

14.Deepens the Mind-Body connection and Emotional Healing.

Practicing Yoga over a period of time makes us aware of the subtler goings-on in our body, mind, emotions and even the subconscious, thus deepening their interconnectedness.

For instance, I have become aware of the pattern of thoughts or images that come to the fore during certain asanas, allowing me to discover slowly, the meaning of why they come up. As awareness deepens, subtler emotions and epiphanies rise to the surface.

This helps in making the practice intuitive, allowing the body to flow in an almost-unconscious way from asana to asana, simply listening to the body’s intelligence.

Yoga Nidra gives us direct access to the subconscious, and brings up the subtler emotions and truths to the surface, be they positive or negative, forcing us to deal with them. One may argue that a pandemic is not the ideal time to deal with deep-seated negative emotions or shadow parts of ourselves. But I would say that the more they come to the surface, the easier it is for us to accept them, and allow them to dissipate. This unburdens our being, allowing us to heal in ways we did not envision could happen.

15.Authenticity is greater than Excellence.

To be true to oneself, to practice the truth or Satya, to be true to one’s practice, to one’s role in this world, without focusing on how to impress the world is a hard thing to do. But increasingly, I realize that to be true in this way and authentic about one’s being is a reward in itself. It is a purpose in itself. Excellence comes as an incidental outcome of authenticity, but it can sometimes happen that we forget to be authentic in the race to excel.

As a writer, I struggle to draw the line between authenticity and excellence, because excellence (as seen by the outside world) can come at a cost of giving up the individual’s authenticity. I have learnt through my practice of yoga, that it is more important to stay within the realms of authenticity in order to be seen fully as a person, as a yoga practitioner and as an artist.

I would like to conclude that be able to practice and teach yoga has been the single biggest gift that I have received during this pandemic, and I believe this to be true for all practitioners.