In his Yog Sutras, Sage Patanjali has defined yog as the restraining of thought waves, and yog postures are among the eight means for the purification and wellness of body and mind. The Bhagwad Gita, a treatise on yog, disseminates different forms of yog that may be practised by different people. It prescribes the path of devotion for householders, the path of knowledge for those intellectually inclined, and the path of action for the agile. The Bhagwad Gita’s 18 chapters show us a progressive path from the yog of action to that of devotion and, finally, of wisdom. Many believe that a sound body by itself produces a sound mind. But actually, it’s the other way around. A sound body is the manifestation of a sound mind which in turn emanates from a sound spirit. Hence, the human soul or spirit is the seed of holistic health and wellness. The mind and intellect are faculties of the soul, which is a non-physical, spiritual entity. Nutritious food, regular exercise, and adequate rest are necessary to keep the body strong and sound. Similarly, the mind needs a diet of positive thoughts and meditational exercises to stay healthy and happy. The information we consume and the thoughts we create are food for the mind. Hence, the quality and quantity of thoughts determine our state of mind. Yog postures can give us a healthy body. But if the soul has any weakness, it will perform wrong actions through the body. Rajyogi BK Brijmohan
