Yoga and Total Health — February 2018

(^18) YOGA AND TOTAL HEALTH • February 2018
rom the
Archives
of Yoga and Total Health
By Smt. Neelima Bhave
Published in “Journal of The Yoga Institute”
May 1981
Yoga for The Working Women

F

There was a time once when the

word ‘yoga’ was associated with

bearded holy men meditating in caves,

and possessing miraculous powers.

In those days Yogic instructions

were imparted in secret, by a worthy

teacher to a deserving pupil. A shroud

of awe and reverence enveloped the

practitioners of yoga.

But times have changed and many

things have changed with times.

Today, yoga has become a household

word. Even small children perform

Yogic exercises, which they have

learnt in school. As for the grownups,

the principles underlying the Yogic

practises are being harnessed to make

the everyday life of the common man

useful and happy.

The two basics requirements for

leading a happy life are, one - good

physical health, and two - a calm

and contended mind. Yogic practises

help a person to attain these two

pre-conditions for leading a

reasonably satisfactory life. Yoga can

help working women, who shoulder a

double responsibility - the traditional

one of managing the house, and the

voluntary one of holding a job outside.

Due to this double responsibility,

working women, as a group, are

subjected to double amount of stress

and strain. The demands upon the

time and energy of a housewife, who

also holds a job, are never ending. But

the worst pressure of all is exerted

upon her patience. Irregular or insolent

servants, boisterous children, a fussy

and demanding husband, become

too much to handle in the three or

four clear working hours that she

gets around the house. The tiredness

and the resultant irritation and the

impatience starts showing sooner or

later. The working wife or mother gets

snappy more than usual. Under such

circumstances, yoga can be of great

help to her.