WARRIOR I POSEYoga is part of life in India. It’s a practical
philosophy involving every aspect of a person’s
being, and it is intended to make life as effi-
cient and enjoyable as possible. Even in school
we used to have yoga; as soon as we finished
assembly, we would have this exercise regimen.
Today, it’s part of my daily routine, like brush-
ing my teeth. I may not look very thin and
streamlined, but because of yoga, I can walk
fast, I can run, and I can sit for more hours. I am
a university professor, and I can stand straight
when I give a lecture to my students.
But I don’t see yoga as a physical discipline
alone. I see it as a spiritual discipline, a selfless
service that you are doing for yourself. Any
kind of stretching and meditation in the
morning goes a long way toward making your
day fruitful.
Yoga started as an Eastern practice, and
now it has traveled far and wide, and peo-
ple in the West are taking more interest.
Some people call that cultural appropria-
tion, but yoga has far-reaching benefits, so
why should there be a divide? Yoga is bigger
than that. It cannot be restricted to a certain
caste, creed, region, or country. It is meant
for mankind, like food, shelter, or clothing.
Yoga is universal.