Yoga is a 3,000-year-old tradition that is practised for mind and body fitness. This particular form of exercise involves a combination of muscular activity and an internally directed mindful focus on awareness of the self, the breath, and energy. Regular practice of yoga results in the improvement of strength, endurance and flexibility and facilitates characteristics of friendliness, compassion, and greater self-control while cultivating a sense of calmness and well-being. It also leads to important outcomes such as a revolution of perspectives towards life, self-awareness and an improved sense of energy.

On the occasion of World Yoga Day, experts from the industry shed light on the current trends in yoga and how they impact the mental well-being of today’s tech-savvy and competitive minds.

Dr Pubali Das, BHMS consultant homoeopath and QCI Level 2, is a yoga teacher (ministry of Ayush). She also runs her own clinic named Jagaran Clinic.

Yoga means the union of body, mind and breath. Yoga helps us activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes our body and mind. Only physical workouts can relieve our stress. But doing yoga to control our breathing pattern really helps us to cool down.

Nowadays, knee problems are very common. That’s why chair yoga is a popular form of exercise in urban areas. Also, people are aware of lifestyle disorders, which you can control by yourself only by doing yoga. Yoga can give you strength to combat menopausal mood swings as well.

Ms Chirashree Ghosh, founder of Mystic Yoga

Yoga Day celebrations have become a significant event for yoga enthusiasts globally. Yoga studios and ashrams encourage participation in their organised events.

We’ve expanded our Yoga Day celebrations into three segments:

An eight-week intensive study of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras began in June. Mystic Yoga holds weekly spiritual study classes, and for the next two months, we’ll delve into yoga philosophy. Yoga is a path to liberation (“Mukti Marg”), and embracing its teachings is essential for integrating it into our lives.

On 21 June, we’ll conduct special classes and reach out to various schools and institutions to spread awareness of authentic yoga practice.

Reflecting on Patanjali’s sutra, “Maitri Karuna Mudita Upekshanam” – which emphasises compassion as a path to freedom, Mystic Yoga‘s Animal Care Foundation will extend its care to injured and elderly street dogs and cats throughout June. Our ongoing programme includes feeding and neutering, and this month, we’ll also cover medical expenses.

It’s crucial that we honour the yoga tradition, which transcends physical postures and has the power to bring lasting happiness.

Wishing everyone a joyful Yoga Day—may we all move from darkness to light.

Ms Pragya Priya Mandal, counselling psychologist, Monoshij, Techno India Group

Yoga as a practice is immensely impactful when it comes to an individual’s mental health. From stress reduction to an improved overall lifestyle, the benefits of yoga are countless.

To discuss a few benefits, we start with the way meditation and relaxation leave a strong calming effect on the body, curbing the physiological reaction to stress.

Practicing yoga regularly can elevate mood and curb symptoms of anxiety and depression. It shoots up the level of the GABA neurotransmitter, which is known to promote calmness in the system. It helps restore a disrupted sleep cycle and strengthens the connection between our mind and body, thus empowering us with a sense of control, balance and harmony.

It helps us stay mindful of the present in combination with increased awareness of the self, aiding in the active management of self-defeating thoughts and emotions, as a consequence of which there is a boost in one’s confidence and self-esteem. Trauma-sensitive yoga as a practice combines the principles of trauma theory and neuroscience with traditional yoga practices to support an individual with a history of psychological trauma.

An emerging trend in the practice of yoga is a variation of AcroYoga. Involving sequences of posing with a partner, it is growing increasingly popular on social media platforms. The beauty of it lies in the exploration of these poses, trust in oneself and others, and, most importantly, fun. The partners perform the poses in coordination with one another, synchronising and showcasing creativity through a postural expression of love and togetherness balanced with mindfulness and flexibility, which are the essential elements of this trend.