(198) Yoga day memories!

Reflections on Yoga Day and the Changing Times

And so, another Yoga Day has passed. This time, the hype was visibly less than usual. As society’s problems and frustrations keep mounting, people's faith in Yoga as a source of relief seems to be fading.

Parents today find themselves completely helpless and clueless in front of the bad habits of the younger generation.

At the same time, new-age parents are failing to set a good example for their children. (For instance, a Class 4 student regularly sleeps during class hours. The reason he sits with his tablet well past midnight is because his parents themselves sleep only at 2 AM after using their phones!)

Post-COVID, even Yoga teachers have suffered a decline in their physical and mental stamina. It is better not to attempt heavy, advanced postures for now.

All of us coming into the field of Yoga is a calling in itself. Frankly, Yoga can be used as an excellent strategy (not a cheap trick) to comfort those who seek our help.

An Example from Last Week

During a train journey, a regular acquaintance of mine sat next to me. Knowing that I am into Yoga, he began sharing his worries:

He belongs to a middle-class family that strictly observes Saturday as a religious holiday. Since his workplace is aligned with this, I usually don’t see him on the train on Saturdays.

Currently, his only son is a B.Tech graduate looking for a job. However, because he insists on taking leave on Saturdays, no company is willing to retain him. Frustrated, the boy now sits locked up alone in his room. The entire family is in deep distress. The father asked me what they should do!

(A brief summary of our conversation below)

 "If there is a reason for a problem to exist, there will also be a reason for its solution. First, he should look for a job in firms that inherently have a Saturday off."

"Oh, we tried. There are no vacancies anywhere."

"In that case, he can start a small business or venture of his own."

 "We thought about that too. But with my meager income, nothing is feasible. I am already in some debt."

"Then explain the gravity of the situation to your community elders and send him to work on Saturdays."

 "I have asked the authorities for permission multiple times... but they didn't grant it."

"Lastly, I have only one thing to say—if you save your religious belief, your son won't be saved. If you save your son, the belief won't be saved. You can choose to save whichever you want. The choice is entirely yours, Chettan (brother)."

He didn't reply. After that, we didn't get a chance to speak further.

What I am trying to say here might be useful to some, or it might be useless. Nevertheless, we must keep moving forward, offering whatever guidance and strategies we can.

## 12 Ground Realities Faced by Yoga and its Teachers

 1. Even regular Yoga teachers face nothing but scorn and neglect today. AI, various types of coaching, virtual reality, and trendy new club activities are hijacking Yoga classes.

 2. Many parents explicitly give written consent stating that their children should *not* be made to do Yoga in schools.

 3. Schools and colleges completely sideline local Yoga teachers. They just bring in someone from outside for a one-time demo on Yoga Day, take photos and videos for the college/school magazine, and wrap up "Yoga for the year."

 4. In the entire 5.5-year MBBS course, there are only 7 days of Yoga classes. Yet, the government advertisements printed in newspapers make it sound grand!

 5. This time too, the video that went viral in the name of Yoga was one that claimed Yoga is an absolute fraud!

 6. College, school, and corporate management/authorities insist on having "Yoga Fusion Dance" even for Yoga Day! As far as we know, no legendary Yoga masters of the past ever went around doing Yoga Dance.

 7. If the Kerala and Central Governments truly believe Yoga is important, is it enough to hire daily-wage teachers who just come and go for an hour a week?

 8. Commercialized Yoga in spas, gymnasiums, massage parlors, clubs, resorts, hotels, and tourist boats is only inviting unnecessary criticism.

 9. Regular Yoga teachers in Kerala are tired of hearing the same old taunts and queries: *"Are you going for class today?", "What is your daily wage?", "Do you get paid leaves?", "How many classes do you take a week?", "Is the salary paid in cash or bank transfer?", "How many schools do you visit?"*

 10. Don't mistake it for respect when people—even those who have known your name for years—loudly call out *"Yoga Miss!", "Yoga Teacher!",* or *"Yoga Sir!"* in front of a crowd.

 11. Yoga is a course that lacks a standardized, uniform syllabus. This allows people to manipulate it based on the teacher's leadership, politics, or religion.

 12. People despise the exploitation of Yoga. If we can keep religion and politics out of it, unbiased and genuine Yoga can immensely help humanity find peace and happiness!