Coimbatore : Attributing all of the society’s physical and mental problems to the tendency of people to follow the wrong lifestyle, Spiritualist Sr Mata Amritanandamayi Devi advocated practice of Yoga for opening the door to a healthy, stress-free life, full of happiness and contentment.

In her message on the even of International Yoga Day being observed on Jun 21, Amritanandamayi Devi, fondly called as Amma by her crores of devotees said that In today’s world, all physical comforts were at our fingertips in today’s world.

Yoga is an invaluable gift to humankind from the great rishis of ancient India and today, millions of people from all over the world are actively
practicing yoga and have incorporated it into their daily life, she said.

However, yoga is not like an ordinary physical-exercise routine that you practice for one or two hours a day and to derive the complete benefit from yoga, one has to practice purity as well as physical and mental discipline.

Along with taking medicines, someone with a chronic health problem needs to follow a strict diet, rest and sleep routine. In a similar way, for
yoga routines to bear the desired result, one has to follow a disciplined and value-based lifestyle.

Lying in the comfort of bed, you can turn on the T.V., switch on and off the air-conditioning, book your train or flight tickets and order your favorite food from restaurants, Amma pointed out.

As comforts increase, our body does not get the exercise needed to remain fit, she said and asked “what is the state of the mind? It is constantly racing. The mind is filled with hundreds of thoughts.”

Whether at home or at work, there is not a moment when people are stress-free and as much as the body needs exercise, the mind needs to be still to keep fit and healthy, she said.

“Wee should be able to make our mind completely still, at least for a short period of time every day. However, we usually do the opposite: we give our
body plenty of rest, and make our mind run ceaselessly.
     
In these modern times, yoga is a great blessing. It rejuvenates and tones the body.  At the same time, it reduces stress and paves the way for the
mind to become calm and efficient “,she said.

Stating that  yoga presented us with a healthier perspective of life and taught us that the ultimate source of happiness and peace is within our own self, she said that Yoga enabled to bring changes in our eating habits and lifestyle, as well as our behavior and approach to others.

“Food not only affects our nutritive health, but also influences our mental health and this is why the foods we consume should be balanced, favorable and within limits. Those who wish to progress in yoga should.strictly try to
adhere to a sattvic diet, consuming pure and wholesome foods.” Amma, who is also Chancellor of Amrita Vishwavidya Peetham said.

Practicing this comprehensive lifestyle can bring astonishing changes to our physical and mental state. It will prove to be a blessing, especially for people who suffer from chronic health problems from a sedentary lifestyle.