We have seen same disease sometimes get cured through different systems like allopathy, homoeopathy, Ayurveda, unani etc. and also through drugless therapy like yoga therapy, pranic healing, reiki therapy, magnet therapy etc. and all these systems have different theories that cures the same diseases. Then question comes which system is scientific or how truly diseases get alleviated.

In modern healthcare system, allopathy has more scientific approach with advanced pathological tests and digital technological image processing to arrive at right diagnosis or finding the root cause of the disease. Whereas, other systems like homoeopathy, Ayurveda, unani etc. depend more on analytical study of the symptoms and prescribe the medicine. Success rate and time taken to recover might differ but how same disease get cured by different theory of different therapy is to be understood. It can be possible only if there is one master theory that connect all theories in deeper level like different parts or organs functions uniformly of a same body.

Placebo and nocebo theory says, sometimes diseases get cured if someone has faith in doctor or drug even diagnosis is wrong or medicine content is not there in pills. So, there is an unknown factor playing a role in these cases beyond scientific reasoning. We have to take both science and faith into consideration to arrive at correct conclusion. Now medical science is coining a word, psychosomatic, i.e body and mind are not two different entities rather either side of a same coin. Thus, if body is affected by disease, thereby mind will also be affected and vice versa.

Of course, scientific laws are more applicable in matter or physical aspect rather than subtle mental phenomena in which faith or other unknown factors like; life style, attitude, heredity, genetic influences are more active. In the presence of consciousness, body and mind functions and when it leaves the body it cannot heal itself. That means, consciousness and in turn, prana or life energy is the prime factor, that is essential in healing with or without medicine (faith/unknown factors).

Thus, apart from scientific medicinal approach, diseases can be cured in many of the cases where this life energy can be brought in a balanced state and healing happens through natural means. Faith is one of the factors that raises the level of prana or energy for effective healing. Preserving prana through various means such as managing life style, balanced diet and nutrition, listening to the signals of the body and act accordingly and of course, through various yogic discipline, even chronic diseases can be cured or cared without or with drug.

There are five ‘holistic living’ principles while balancing subjective and objective aspects of life. 1. Integrating science & spirituality, self & society, peace & prosperity 2. Empowering Self a) self-analysis, self-assessment b) self-belief, self-behavior c) self-control, self-confidence d) self-discipline, self-determination e) self-esteem, self-effort 3. Developing ‘Yes’ attitude 4. Just for ‘today’ 5. Be aware ‘happy now here’.

In ancient India, in the beginning of career, curricula of the education system emphasized character building process through teaching of Shastra (spiritual knowledge) and Astra (healthcare) in first of the four ashram parathas i.e. bramhacharya, garhasha, banaprastha, sanyas. In modern era, career building curricula are basically set to earn a qualification in a competition based education system without imparting knowledge and application of human values.

Introducing moral or value education (character building) in the curricula in the beginning would definitely develop a decent human being, whereas competition gives rise to, ’rat race’, ‘self-centered’ and ‘survival is the fittest’ approach in life, while making a man as money earning machine.

In this electronic era, we have gathered much objective knowledge that is making us prosperous but simultaneously in the hustle and bustle of life, we are missing much peace, principles and purpose. Introducing holistic ideas in education system that nurture both subjective and objective aspects together is the need of the hour. Health care and hobby care should be encouraged among youth while time and value is to be assigned as per temperament and tendency of the student.

Psycho-emotional wellbeing/ resilience should be taken care of through holistic measure. Emphasizing only intellectual aspect in education system is creating imbalance in developing a contented human being failing to address stress and tension, challenges and uncertainties, personal and professional goal etc. and in turn society is experiencing increasingly anger, aggression, anxiety, jealousy, hatred, violence along with many other negative qualities.

 

 

How relationship issues and concerns are tackled through holisticyog concept?

Career, relationship and health; these three aspects are very important issues in students, middle aged and old aged lives respectively. Over the journey of life, we develop various relationship especially parent-child (batsalya), friend-friend (sakhya), master-servent (dasya), husband-wife (madhur) and God/ Guru- disciple (shanta) etc.. All these relations experiences dualistic doldrums’ like-dislike, love-hate, expression-depression, ego flash-ego clash, self-interest and social interest and so on more or less time to time.
Whole humanity is guided by cultural conditioning, values or moral principles while maintaining various relationship in social fabric. Stress and strain in various aforesaid relationship is sharply visible in modern age living. Combined family life is broken into small family, live in relationship, single parent child etc. and earlier culture has replaced as self/nuclear family centered living. Rate of divorce, violence in relationships, dissatisfaction, psycho-emotional illnesses is on the alarming rise.
Holisticyog/ holisticliving concept encourages application of holistic approach to deal with these difficulties. Generally, we are so delicately identified with visible body and mind as ‘I’ or ‘me’ that we are unconscious or oblivious about our spiritual entity/reality/identity. When we start living with an awareness of material and spiritual aspects together i.e. science and spirituality, self and society, peace and prosperity; in a balanced way then these issues and concerns of relationships can be effectively dealt with.
Every kind of relationships need love, joy and freedom to flourish but mind and its vrittis i.e ahankar-akankha-asakti-agnanata (ego-expectation-attachment-ignorance) as far as ‘self-interest’ and ‘survival is the fittest’ is concerned poses serious threat to experience or apply these attributes/values in behavior. When we ourselves are slave of our own mental vrittis especially from negative ones, then higher spiritual values cannot spring forth from within to cut the thread of its slavery.
Thus, unless we are aware of our spiritual nature along with material/physical one, suffering cannot be addressed successfully/ permanently. Holistic yog program is devised in such a manner that body-mind-soul as a whole is taken care of through psycho-physical exercises, asanas, pranayamas, meditation, conscious relaxation and transmission. A lots of discussion, clarification is included in the program to nurture holistic concept/ dharna while balancing theory and practice to achieve best result.
Everyone wants to be happy but most of the relationships are not doing well because of misunderstanding or ignorance about the conditioning that, happiness or peace can be obtained only from objective world or by changing others. Whereas, primarily it is the subjective matter and one has to transform from within by bringing a balance between both objective and subjective phenomena.
Thus, holistic yog program is devised in such a way that both subjective and objective approaches are incorporated in the day to day lifestyle of an individual in applying the principles of holistic living and various relationships are nurtured in more effective means. And individual life and social life coexist together happily and harmoniously.

 

Now a days research is going on to explore or expediate spiritual growth through scientific methods. Human beings are curious, inquisitive to find out the truth behind every manifested thing, cause of every effect, in a scientific manner through sensory and intellectual medium. Whereas spiritual approach emphasizes eternal enquiry within subjective being beyond time, space, intellectual concept and causation; through intuition. 

Science brings the same repetitive result as a fact and linked with fixed formulae whereas spirituality is unique and united through exclusively individual experience. Spirituality is naturally/ effortlessly spontaneous, continuous and instantaneous. Science pursues through hypothesis, experimentation, modifications and corelating with earlier results, comes into conclusions.  

Through scientific means humanity is seemingly progressing in standard of living, comforts and conveniences while conquering natural forces. At the same time, changes in climatic behavior, global warming, ozone layer depletion etc. etc. for rapid industrialization, deforestation, carbon emission in the way to modern civilization is a part of scientific advancement.  

Spirituality that needs to raise the level of ordinary waking consciousness beyond sensory perceived world, needs self-desire and discipline according to individual time, temperament and tendency that cannot be taught or imposed in a structured manner. It is to be inculcated or sought without any stigma or individual conditioning to undertake spiritual journey. 

Individual mind that is naturally taking part in evolution, cannot be forced to jump to other more advanced states of consciousness by applying any so-called scientific method that may be like stretching a stem to bear flower as per our desire. Science and spirituality both should progress hand in hand, cooperating and not contradicting or confronting each other. 

Presently, science is facing the hard problem of consciousness in their hypothesis that whether brain neurons are creating consciousness or consciousness is creating brain neurons, like hen created first or egg, is yet to be fixed. On the other hand, spirituality keeps the concept beyond intellect to intuitively experience cosmic or witnessing consciousness that cannot be experienced through scientific instrumentation while finding the essential construct as God particle. 

There is an age-old tussle of supremacy between science and spirituality as far as interpreting creation and creator is concerned. Scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom should be either side of the same coin where scientific effort and spiritual support are metamorphized together to experience joy and love of living towards light and liberation. One so called scientific method may help or hinder spiritual progress as per individual liking and disliking (Sanskar and prarabdha). 

Thus, the theme scientific spirituality e.g., sound or visual effects or any yogic method applied on meditator might differ in obtaining same scientific result. Science is progressing as natural progression in presence of spiritual essence rather than intellectual egoistic approach towards human living. Soul realized persons hardly can be produced by batches applying so called scientific method if individual is not ready to learn or accept self-transformation process.   

 

 

There is an overall stigma among yoga practitioners that yoga with various postures and pranayama is for keeping body fit and mind stress-free, thus, addressing the quality of living and longevity with good health and happiness. Actually, the concept of yoga among other philosophies started with the purpose of finding out the root cause of human suffering and existence. 

On the other hand, most modern-day practice of yoga deviated from its core theme and created a separate identity in objective/ physical form with spirituality that deals mainly addressing different planes of consciousness i.e., waking-dreaming-sleeping and beyond while finding/ experiencing the union or common connecting thread in them. 

There are many scientific studies on different brands and styles of yoga with proven health benefits while strengthening pathological parameters within permissible range. Modern medical fraternities also recommend yogic postures and pranayama in many chronic psycho-somatic diseases to avoid unnecessary side and suppressing effects.  

Unlike other forms of exercises and sports, yogic postures in hatha yoga have the added advantage of getting internal vital organs and hormone secreting glands massaged along with improved flexibility and relaxation. Other forms of yoga such as Karma yoga, Raja yoga, Gyan yoga, Bhakti yoga, Mantra yoga, Tantra yoga etc. emphasize one aspect or principles to reach its destination or fulfill the purpose for which one undertakes yogic practices. 

Spirituality is spontaneity and equanimity that allows attention to be aware of the now-here state, it usually cannot be taught but rather to be sought. It is primarily subjective in its approach; physical health is secondary. Spirituality focuses on self-transformation to understand and experience the oneness between visible and invisible, form and formless, change and changeless, gross and subtle, manifest and unmanifest, natural and spiritual aspects of existence.  

The motivation of the mind behind practicing yoga or adopting yogic lifestyle is the most important factor for yoga practitioner. If one nurtures only one aspect i.e., objective part of yoga and do not include subjective part i.e., spirituality then result will be limited or unfulfilled. Holistic yog meets both the requirements in its holistic (body-mind-soul as a whole) approach. 

Three kinds of suffering human beings generally suffer. Adi-bhoutik, as physical and mental diseases, accidents; Adi-daibik, as natural calamities and Adhyatmic, as delusion or ignorance of our real nature. Suffering is tangible through physical pain born out of diseases, mental agony born out of various mental-emotional imbalances, Spiritual unrest born out of not having peace and purpose in life. 

Modern medical scientist is successfully addressing the cause of physical pain in most of the cases and trying to remove the suffering and psychiatrist, psychological counselor also trying to remove it from psycho-emotional plane and spiritual leaders are trying to remove suffering of spiritual nature. With all available human endeavor, is it not a fact that we are yet to conquer suffering of various nature? 

Though anesthesia, pain killer and many kinds of other modalities such as temperature, pressure, stimulation etc. reduce physical pain sensation; sedatives, psycho-inhibitor drugs reduce restlessness and various methods of meditation address spiritual imbalances, still we find hardly few individuals depart from this earth with a healthy body and mind without suffering. The majority of mankind fall as a rotten fruit rather ripe one. 

We know that during sleep or dream, we don’t feel any pain rather in waking state only, we suffer. So, the question arises who suffers in the waking state? Which part of ‘I’ really suffers? In sleep state suffering vanishes and in dream state though suffering seems real during dream but on waking it becomes false. How can body suffer, as it can be said that my hand is paining but can hand say, my hand is paining?  

So, neither body feels pain nor consciousness feels pain. And thus, conditioning of the mind that identifies with the body or consciousness separately through some psycho- neuro-pathological process, gives rise to pain sensation. In samadhi experience also, when one goes beyond the identification of the body and mind, one does not feel any pain or suffering. Henceforth, human suffering is conditioned by the so-called mind upon its superimposition as real self on deluded self.

 

Every yoga practitioner pursues yoga practices to achieve physical fitness, psychological peace and spiritual bliss or realization while choosing one as per time, temperament and tendencies among various available methods. Prevalent proverb says, ‘practice makes a man perfect’ or ‘an ounce of practice is priceless preference than tons of theory or philosophy’. Thus, one must put the procedure rightly into practice with patience and perseverance. 

 But can anyone assess or judge how, when, where and what intensity, interest and attention one is putting rightly or truly while practicing. One might get demoralized after several abortive efforts and procrastinate, postpone or cease to practice if the result or success is not visible or experienced in due course of time.  Yet, one must understand that knowing, doing or desiring is in our hands but the result is not within our reach like a plant that can be nurtured by watering, fertilizing, weeding and fencing but cannot be stretched to bear fruit forcibly. 

Moreover, if one is rationalizing or expecting about result in future and pondering about past memory or experience, then mind will not be fully attentive or focused on the present performance and therefore, will lack the potency to produce desired result. We are so conditioned with conceptual knowledge or memory that success should shoot as per preconceived ideas or theories that may be the main cause of delay or deter desired result. 

In the material field, we know that every action produces equal and opposite reaction. In the mental realm, every effect relates to a definite cause. Also, we know that one may get stressed in one event or work at one time and not at another time while others may not. Thus, it is very difficult to find out the exact or definite cause of any effect. So, results cannot be obtained scientifically for every individual with practicing the same method. 

Results are obtained instantly or spontaneously with the feelings of satisfaction and in fact, everything is really happening in this present moment perpetually, but the mind is delusively thinking as per own conditioned expectation while relating to previous relative experience. Hindrances, obstacles, barriers or blocks are like failure is the pillar of success, or result is the report of effort. If one looks at it as a process and not divided into parts, then life will be balanced or peacefully flowing between both positive and negative aspects. 

Throughout the ages of human race, the concept of God has been assumed as creator and savior from misfortune and human suffering. Over the period, Avatar and Gurus came as agent to disseminate different concept about God with different theories or philosophies about relationship between creator and its creation. Thus, followers or devotees came up following different religion in different region under spiritual leadership of different Gurus and their teachings. 

It is generally said that without God and Guru’s grace hardly any progress can be made with self-effort in spiritual realm. That indicate, God or Guru is having free will to shower grace to individual whimsically as they (personal God or deity in form, guru in physical body) feel. Can they be so partial? Definitely not. There is another concept of impersonal God without name and form and change, that is neutral, fundamental entity on which whole universe is manifested or created. 

It’s too abstruse to believe that nothing has created something. If nobody is there overhead, who will shower grace, like gravity attracts upward to downward or center. Thus, there is superstition or blind faith regarding grace. By the way, what is grace? A form of esoteric energy that can be induced in the way to success in desired field. We understand that without any cause there will be no effect, thus, without effort from individual part there will be no grace delivered. 

Also, we know water flows downward naturally. But if faced with obstruction it automatically changes its course of direction. Of course, vessels with holes cannot retain water. Thus, grace is here, there and everywhere, within and without. One must be eligible, elevate, purify, tune or leakproof oneself to sustain grace that automatically flows with one’s own experience, gratitude and humility. God or Guru has nothing to bestow grace to devotee or disciple in first place. 

Many devotees believe or has conditioned ideas like God or Guru ‘krupa hi kebalam’. Thus, there attention is mostly on the objective part of grace, rather than subjective purification through various means or methods, such as puja, prarthana, japa, yog and dhyana etc. And we see, though lakhs of followers are following or practicing the laid down Guru’s principles, rites and rituals, yet many of us seems to be stagnant and dissatisfied about spiritual progress towards enlightenment.  

So, inner flowering (manifestation of samskaras those are acquired from previous births) and self-effort both approaches should be balanced and synchronized or attuned in a holistic manner thus, grace happens or flows on its own. Gratitude develops spontaneously along with humility while understanding ego and identification with personal part of doing or effort. Finally, it is understood and experienced as Spirit and Nature is not doing anything, everything is happening as it is, without rationalizations about grace or gravity.