Yoga for the 21st Century

The pinnacle of Yoga is the experience of Samadhi. This lofty goal seems liberating, expansive and awakens the deepest desire in a spiritual aspirant. Over 2500 years ago, Sage Patanjali compiled the Yoga Sutras and laid out a structured path to achieve the highest ideal of Yoga. It is a beautifully designed system to help a seeker navigate the journey from the external world to the inner being, from the gross to the subtle aspects, from the primal nature to the divinity within.

However, this journey is arduous and filled with pitfalls along the way. Some of these pitfalls are due to external distractions, but most of the obstacles are within as every experience arises from a deep-rooted pattern in the mind. Patanjali offers an aspirational philosophy, effective techniques, and profound insights to help you access the deeper realms of the mind. The eight-limbed path of Raja Yoga starts with codes of conduct (yama & niyama), postures (asana), energy regulation (pranayama), sensory withdrawal (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and culminates with absorption (samadhi).

Although the path is straightforward and well-defined, it comes with its challenges in modern times. The Yoga sutras were best suited for advanced aspirants who had a strong foundation in Hatha Yoga and led a simple, solitary life feasible around the time of Patanjali and Buddha. The sutras offer a glimpse into timeless wisdom for even modern yoga practitioners, but they are difficult to integrate in today's complicated world of distractions and extroversion. 

Unless one has a healthy body, calm mind, sattva guna, and a life of withdrawal from the outside world, it is an uphill task to walk the path of meditation. This does not signify that any effort is futile, as each limb of Ashtanga Yoga offers benefits. However, a sincere seeker needs a complementary path that is relevant to the current times. 

Help Others and Secure Happiness

The scriptures and masters have preached that Bhakti Yoga is the easiest path for Kali Yuga. But, devotion awakens only by divine grace and not everyone is inclined towards it due to varying cultural beliefs, faith and conditioning. Swami Sivananda Saraswati offered three pillars of Yoga that are most suitable for the present era - Serve, Love, Give.

There is indeed a growing wave of spiritual awareness across the globe and the pandemic has created an awakening in the collective consciousness. But, the reality is that there is also increasing separation and conflict between countries, religions, communities, and families. These are the times to reach out and help each other rather than going deeper in meditation. 

The aim of Yoga is not to make the aspirant an introverted meditator but to use a calm state of mind and express the softer qualities of kindness, compassion, and selflessness. We have to share the fruits of our spiritual practice with others through acts of service, or else any effort on the yogic path is merely selfish. 

“The whole world is burning and you are sitting in an air-conditioned room. But, the fire will soon envelop your room too. So, we must help douse the fire and serve others.” - Swami Satyananda Saraswati

Service is not limited to volunteering and charity. There are many ways to perform acts of kindness in everyday life. It could be something simple such as listening to a loved one with patience, encouraging a colleague who feels demotivated, greeting a neighbour, smiling at a stranger, talking to your cab driver, offering a glass of water to the delivery person, feeding stray animals, or helping the underprivileged.

As humans, we are blessed with a sense of purpose that gives meaning in life. Helping others offers deep fulfilment as we are all intricately connected. This sense of oneness is also one of the highest ideals as per various schools of thought. Jesus reminded everyone to love thy neighbour, Buddha taught the importance of compassion, Mahavira emphasised non-violence, Adi Shankaracharya preached non-duality, and many other traditions advocate the presence of a universal consciousness in everyone. 

Fill Your Cup to Radiate Love

There any numerous ways to serve others. However, it is important to also nourish ourselves as an empty cup cannot pour into another. As seekers, our personal sadhana is the foundation that helps us act in the world, fulfil duties, navigate challenges, and serve others. While we can always find a way to help others, it will not be sustainable if one is sleep deprived, eating a faulty diet, not exercising or finding time for relaxation. 

When we are feeling healthy and there is a sense of joy in life, the natural expression of this abundance is love. We are cheerful, kind and feel empathy for others. But, if we are stressed and unwell, the natural expression is frustration unless the mind in evolved to be unaffected by these experiences. 

For most of us, a happy mind and healthy body are an integral foundation to experience a wholesome life. So, the path is a two-way street. Nourishing ourselves helps us serve others effectively and touch more lives. Helping others purifies the mind and awakens the heart which aids our personal evolution.

The Practical Way for Modern Times

The pursuit of meditation and higher yogic practices will be futile if we don’t cleanse the body and energy channels with Hatha Yoga, as we need this ancient science more than ever given the circumstances. We also need to gradually awaken Bhakti by believing in something higher as this mellows the self-oriented nature. This faith naturally leads to devotion in everything we do to foster a deeper sincerity and commitment to the path. Finally, we must open our hearts to help others as the need of the hour is not liberation, but kindness and compassion for all living beings.

There are many ways to the divine, but Swami Sivananda always encouraged an integrated approach of the head, heart and hands. Our society is predominantly intellectual and we are living our lives in the head predominantly. So, let us open our hearts to share the joy of others and soothe their pain. 

Let us also unite hands to help others. If you can make another person smile, their happiness will touch the lives of another person they encounter and this virtuous cycle might just help the world be a kinder place.

Modern consumerism is a selfish and greedy way of hoarding possessions and experiences beyond our needs. Giving to others lightens our load and helps us climb the steep mountain of spirituality with a sense of joy and enthusiasm.

May the divine show us the way to be a medium of this grace and peace. Hope you find inspiration in this heartfelt prayer from St. Francis of Assisi.

"Make me a channel of your peace,

Where there is hatred let me bring your love,

Where there is injury your pardon Lord,

And where there’s doubt true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace,

Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,

Where there is darkness, only light,

And where there’s sadness, ever joy.

O Master grant that I may never seek,

So much to be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

In giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we are born to eternal life."

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