The word “yoga” is derived from Sanskrit root” yuj” which means “join” or ‘’unite”. This may be taken as the union of body, mind soul, and used in the literature both as an end as well as means. As an end , yoga signifies integration of personality at the highest level. Good health is the right of every human being. But this right depends on individual, social and environmental factors. Along with environmental or social factors to a large extent, we can develop a better immune system and a better  perception of one self so that other  conditions do not affect us adversely and we can achieve  good health. Health is a positive concept.  Positive health does not mean  merely freedom from disease ,but it also include a jubilant and energetic feelings of well-being with an amount of general resistance and capacity to easily cultivate immunity against specific offending agents. Yoga is one of the most powerful drug less systems of treatment. It is having its own  concept  of wellness which has been scientifically understood and presented by many. Yoga can be adopted as lifestyle for prompting our physical and mental health.

Yoga is an integral part of our lifestyle

It removes the impurities from the level of mind unites everything with the spirit. For instance, insomnia could be connected to stress, anxiety or depression. You have to address that issue instead of merely taking medication.This way , you have to wider perception of your own  mind, body thoughts and emotions and there is more clarity and you are able to guide your prana (life force ) in a positive  way to progress in life. One can start practicing yoga at any time and you may start with meditation or directly with pranayama  without even doing the asanas you do not have much effect on you. But if each stretch is synchronized with the breath and awareness, your practice will become a yogic practice.

Side Effects and Risk

  • Yoga is generally low-impact and safe for healthy people when practiced appropriately under the guidance of a well-trained instructor.
  • Overall, those who practice yoga have a low rate of side effects, and the risk of serious injury from yoga is quite low. How ever, certain  types of stroke as well as pain from nerve damage are among the rare possible side effects  of practicing yoga.
  • Women who are pregnant and people with certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, glaucoma (a condition in which  fluid pressure within the eye slowly increases and may damage the eye optic nerve) and sciatica(pain , weakness, numbing, or tingling that may extend from the lower back to the calf, foot, or even the toes), should modify or avoid some yoga poses.

Yoga can be broadly classified into four streams as Swami Vivekananda puts them as work, worship, philosophy and psychic control.

  • The path of work involves doing action with an attitude of detachment to fruits of action. This brings steadiness of mind.
  • The control of emotions is the key to the path of worship. It helps to control the emotional instabilities by properly harnessing the energy involved i it.
  • The path philosophy is for attaining the intellectual sharpness and happiness.
  • The path of psychic control enables us to culture our minds for achieving success in almost all endeavors of our lives. It gives a practical and easy approach to reach higher states of consciousness.

Modern medicine and yoga are rational scientific and universal in outlook and hence are natural allies bound to come together. Their combination has the potential to provide us with a holistic health science that will be a boon for the Psychosomatic health of our masses. Improved health of the general population will result in reduction of pressure on our hospitals, which are under staffed, over crowded and fund starved. Yoga and modern medicine are not exclusive, but complementary systems .Their enlighten collaboration will have a significant impact on our health care system.

Yoga doesn't negate the use of drugs and other methods of modern medicine. Pathanjali is his Avataras charaka didn’t shy away from the need to use medicinal  herbs as well as surgical methods when necessary for the benefit of the patient. The system of  Ayurveda is more in tune with the yogic views of  healing in this regard but definitely the modern antibiotic treatment of infections diseases as well as the emergency medical and trauma management techniques of modern medicine must be understood to be life- savers in times of  need. No yoga  therapist in his or her right mind should try to treat an acute myocardial infarction or an unconscious accident victim by yoga alone. A symbiotic relationship between the techniques of modern medicine and yoga can help the patient more than a dogmatic refusal to see the other side. 

The actual field of convergence  between them lies in there cognition that physical laws of matter are binding only  to a certain point beyond them man can find inner freedom using his will  power and proper techniques to select his habits and to gain control of his visceral and emotional functioning, according to the principals of learning . Psychology tells us that our biological functions are bound ti the rhythmicity of earthly phenomena, but it also has demonstrated that our performances can be controlled by instrumental training, which is not influenced by circadian rhythms. It looks as though scientific investigations from one side are showing man bound to the earth, like any other living creature, while from another side they seem to prove that the human potentials are greater  than the forces binding us – which is exactly   what the Vedas have been teaching for thousands of years. Cure is the conglomeration of all yoga, modern medicine, Ayurveda, etc. Our body is aware of the fact  but man splits the fact.