Presently, we are talking a lot about
Yoga, supposed to be one of the premier practices, that is attributed
to our ancient culture. Some activists from Muslim community want to
oppose practice of Yoga because they claim that Yoga practice is
against Islam.
In this post, I want to show that
Prophet (PBUH) Mohammad had very intelligently integrated some basic
Yogic Asanas or we may say postures in their daily prayer called
namaz.
According to Islamic practices, it is
recommended that every Muslim must perform namaz five times every
day. One prayer is made of minimum eight rakats and maximum any
numbers. Rakat, comprises of six positions. First it is standing
posture second is bending in waist and third bending touching
forehead to ground fourth is sitting on ground and fifth is to look
on two side in that posture without moving body. All postures one
will perform in order as given. After completing one rakat of five
positions, he begins by first posture and start second rakat. After
completing set of rakats at the end of the last rakat he/she will
look to left side without changing his sitting posture and then to
right this he/she can do as many time as he/she wants and then with
this fifth position the prayer is complete. During these movements,
prayer continues in mind or whisper but not aloud.
That shows that each namaz prayer
comprises of many sets of these postures performed every day for at
least five times daily if the person is a namazee. For an ordinary
Muslim at least three times prayer with namaz is essential as per
advise of experts.
We may understand that these postures
recommended by Prophet are actually Yogic postures. First posture is
called Utithasan second posture is called Utrasana and third posture
is called Yoga mudra (2) then fourth is vajarasan. fifth posture
Uttakatasana Lastly, he/she looks to two sides that act is known as
shadasana. By combining them in a sequence, a complete prayer act for
one rakat is performed. Prophet has integrated Yoga postures as a
part of Islamic prayer practice. He has done it knowingly or
unknowingly but this shows that Yoga has been part of this ideology
ever since its concept. Only it is not mentioned as Yoga; may be
because Arabs are not civilized enough to understand the intricacies
of such a high tech practice. We often see that people who do prayers
in this manner keep good health. Probably it is due to inclusion of
yoga mudras in that prayer. A Namazee prays five times each time at
least twelve rakats that means he/she performs unknowingly a lot of
Yogic practice daily. This helps him/her keep good health. Funny part
is that these Namazees do not know that they have become yogis by
this practice. Every namazee is a Yogi and so opposing Yoga appears
to be very strange. I feel those who oppose it are averse to word
Yoga, that is all the problem!
Opposing yoga is a sign of the fact
that those who oppose do not know the usefulness of this practice.
Today we know all those positions those help us tone up our nervous
system and other hormone secreting glands. As a result, person keeps
good health. By making this an issue they will be making their own
loss.
A few more things I wish to share with
my readers. Yoga is a type of exercise that improves functions of our
nervous system. It also improves functioning of hormone secreting
glands. Prophet Mohammad has chosen basic postures through Namaz
however; it is good to understand other postures also, we are lucky
that we have all the important postures with us. It will be foolish
to reject this science only because it is from Hindu tradition. We
have taken computers, mobiles, airplanes and many more none Islamic
things just because they benefit then why not take the Yoga and
benefit by it. I hope better sense shall prevail with Muslims and
they accept Yoga to improve their health without spending any money!
Medical science suggests that if our hormone secretion is properly
maintained and with that our nervous system kept in perfect condition
we shall never fall sick by any disease moreover, as these two things
are in perfect condition our immune system also works to its utmost
efficiency.
One point that is more important, I
want to mention about present trend in the Yoga teachings. It is not
a good trend and so I wish that we take note of it. Many Yoga
teachers including famous Ramdev have introduced their tailor made
postures, which are not part of authentic Yogic discipline. Most of
them have no particular helping effect in improving our nervous
system and functioning of hormone secreting gland. They are actually
acrobatics and not yoga. To save yoga from this pollution from
acrobatics we should be ready to question them. Authentic Yoga asanas
are about 68 with their alternative postures. Please, remember in
authentic Yoga mudra there is no motion involved while in acrobatics
motion is involved. Authentic Yoga mudra (asana) is static and that
is important in improving our nervous system. Particular nerves are
pressed by those positions and they are kept in pressed condition
that helps improve system both of hormone secretion glands as well as
nervous. Each asana yogi will keep for at least 30 seconds but not
more. Another important point that I wish to point out to my readers
is that not all positions one need practice. In accordance with the
particular health condition person should select his/her set of Yogic
mudras and do them daily. Surya namskar is a set of six mudras
(Utithasan, Utrasana, Ushtrasan, Bhujangasan, Dandasan, Ushtrasan)
given by our sages as most useful for all persons. Prophet Mohammad
has given other set of mudras for his followers. That is also called
namaz meaning, namskar. A good yoga teacher can help in selecting the
most appropriate set of mudras for you if you are lucky to have a
knowledgeable yoga teacher.
Among all yoga mudras, Pranayam is the
most dangerous one and so please as far as possible try to avoid it.
In place of it do So-Hum pranayam. So-Hum is sound that we create due
to breathing. "So", sound is created when we breathe in and
when breathe out we make a sound "Hum". Therefore, it has
nothing to do with any religion or language! So-Hum pranayam means,
do breathing as naturally as possible without any special strains but
important aspect of it is that while doing So-Hum pranayam you shall
not think of anything, only concentrate all your attention on
breathing. While performing So-Hum you will not chant it by using
your vocal cord but listen to the sound generated by breathing, this
is important. Let the breathing be absolutely, natural. Among Buddhi
tradition this is called Vipasyana. It is also called So-Hum Sadhana
and it is first step towards meditation. Prefer to practice So-Hum
pranayam in place where there is absolute silence to get best
results. I do it when I go to sleep. While doing it you go into sleep
mode and that gives you a very sound sleep and that improves your
health.
Interesting part of So-Hum Sadhana is
that, it is habit forming. That means, in the beginning it is
difficult to practice but once you have learned to concentrate your
attention on your natural breathing and enter into thoughtless state
that becomes your second nature and you will go into that mode
anytime, anywhere. If you reach such a level you have entered into
the spiritual yoga practice automatically. It is worth trying. Yoga
is a part of spiritualism and not any religion. You believe in god or
not you can practice So-Hum Yoga. However, we should note that the
symbol of Hindu spiritual tradition "Oum" is short form of
So-Hum. This shows how fundamental it is to Hindus.
There is one other similar practice
believed to have invented by one Yogi Shivananda; in those yoga
mudras yogi presses his palms on each other in the posture. This yoga
is called in scientific terms, isometric exercise. This yoga helps in
improving your muscles and particularly recommended for women. This
is a static exercise similar to Hatta Yoga. The mudras given in this
practice do not help improve our hormone secretion gland and nervous
system.
I hope this information will help my
readers (particularly Muslims) in case they want to practice Yoga in
their daily routine.
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my Email ID given below,
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