Yoga and dress

P Jadumani Singh *

International Yoga Day at Khuman Lampak Indoor stadium on 21st June 2017 :: Pix - DIPR

On 27th September 2014 Honourable Prime minister of India in his address in the United Nations General Assembly emphasised the importance and indispensable aspects of Yoga, which is a physical, mental and spiritual practice, also holistic approach to health and well- being.

International support of 175 nations including USA, Canada and China made the United Nations General Assembly declare on 11th December 2014 that 21st June, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, will be International day of Yoga . First celebration of International Day of Yoga was performed in India on 21st June 2015 at the premises of India Gate by thousands of enthusiasts including Sri Narendra Modi.

In this world of chemical foods and preservatives, to maintain a healthy body and sound mind we require one exercise daily for one hour that may be walking, swimming, cycling or Yoga. There are two schools of Yoga namely Patanjali Yoga (Relaxing Yoga) and Hatha Yoga (Dynamic Yoga).

Patanjali, known as father of Yoga and a saint in 300 BC defined Yoga as a science paving the way for uniting human soul (Jibatma) into godly world (Paramatma). Yoga is not a religion and it is a practice for perfect harmony between the individual and the cosmos. It is process by which the animal ascends through stages like Man-Man, Super-Man and Divine-Man.

There is no physical exercise, only seated asanas in the Patanjali Yoga, which is also known as Astanga (eight limbs) Yoga. Hatha Joga, widely practised and liked by the majority population of the world, was introduced under the directives of Hath Yoga Pradipika, also known as Hathapradipika (a book compiled and reformed by Swatmarama in 14th century).

It is based on asanas (postures: seated, laying down, and non- seated), pranayama (breathing exercise), Dhyana (meditation), murdra (hand and finger gestures), chakras (centres of energy), kundalini (psychic power or body latent power), nadanusandhana (concentration on inner sound) etc. The dynamic asanas of Hatha Yoga keep the spine, nerves, muscles and glands in healthy condition and give organic vigour to the whole body.

Modern Yoga is an enhanced Hatha Yoga and efficacious in the treatment of many ailments. In this modern Yoga some mild aerobic exercises (for loosening muscles and joints etc) are added to the items practised in the Hatha Yoga.

In the modern Yoga, apart from the above exercises, sets of selective asanas, pranayama, meditation etc are seen being practised for different ailments separately. There are many other types of Yoga developed in the 19th and 20th centuries by foreign and Indian practitioners for specific purposes and problems of health and mind.

There are does and don’ts as far as our attire, comforts and fitness are concerned in the Yoga classes. Dress is one of the essentials of Yoga practice like other essentials e.g. time, place, silence, rest, birth, diet etc.

The best clothing to wear for Yoga is anything that you are comfortable to move in. Dress that allows the skin to breathe and the body to move in any direction without getting caught on anything is approved. The less bulky or bunchy dress is also better. Cotton and athletic clothes are good; jeans or others made of thick clothe, corduroy, leader etc are bad for Yoga classes.

Dresses have to be not too tight or loose and also not heavy. The clothes have not to hide the body, just to cover it so that our postures or alignments are seen easily by the teacher for correction or modification. It is how we wear the clothes and not that what type of clothe we wear.

Among the clothes, cotton is better since it absorbs sweats and holds onto it. We have to wash our clothes regularly since it tends to develop a smell over the time. We have to part with our watch, spectacles, all of our jewelry items and keep them away from the mat or keep them in a bag.

Dress of less clothe like half pant should be avoided in the Yoga session of male and female together because there is much possibility of the penis leaking out in case the underwear is not properly and tightly put inside the pant.

The T-shirt of thin clothe and also armless should be preferably used in summer and with arm in the winter. The half pant may be worn in the Bikram Yoga which is practised in a room, which is made warmed upto 45 degree centigrade, with a lot of sweats on every body in the session. This Yoga is very popular and widely practised in America.Lastly, for Yoga session we should wear a bit loose clothes.

Tight clothes are forbidden. Due to climatic condition from time to time we should select suitable clothes, especially during the winter season we may wear woollen or warm clothes. There should be minimum clothes on the body while doing Yoga.