Why yoga matters today more than ever!

A WELLNESS CRISIS MASKED BY SOCIAL MEDIA 

In today’s society, more than ever, people are giving the impression of external contentment, with symbols of material wealth and statements / pictures of happiness flaunted excessively on social media platforms. However isn’t it ironic that if we scratch beneath the glossy digital surface, we find that our society is suffering from a wellness crisis.

By that we mean there are more mental health, depression, and anxiety cases going undetected or bandaged with anti-depressants. People are encouraged to mask their true issues with a social media smile and an ‘all is well’ façade of reality.

With all the demands of our fast paced modern society, it is hardly surprising that the number of antidepressants being subscribed worldwide is on the increase. The society we live in often places us under great stress and our minds are full of increasing desires, as we are encouraged to compete with each other, own the latest material products and win those social media likes.

As a result, we often neglect our inner happiness and spend most of our lives seeking external validation, using the approval of others for our own ‘self worth’. Our society today is obsessed with external validation. The rise of social media has only exacerbated the problem with platforms like ‘Instagram’, ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter’ having a negative impact on young people’s mental wellbeing. A survey of almost 1,500 ‘14 to 24’ year olds found that social media, in particular Instagram, has increased feeling of inadequacy and anxiety amongst the young. Low self-esteem, body image insecurity, social isolation and peer pressure are all commonly sited issues.

“People try to create an outwardly perfect life, but the quality of life is based on the inward.” Sadhguru

YOGA & MEDITATION ARE TOOLS TO BUILD 'REAL' INTERNAL HAPPINESS

Yoga and meditation is needed in society more than ever. Yoga is a holistic practice which helps people build physical, mental, social and spiritual health and strength.

"If you want to be sad, no one in the world can make you happy. But if you make up your mind to be happy, no one and nothing on earth can take that happiness from you". Paramhansa Yogananda

The holistic benefits yoga offers in uniting the body, mind and spirit are unparalleled. For the body it delivers good health and wellness, for the mind it reduces stress, increases the ability to live in the moment and enhances productivity, and at the spiritual level, it encourages more compassionate human values and feeds the soul with greater life purpose & understanding.

“Yoga is a tool to get rid of the deceptive curtain that positions in the middle of us and vibrant energy of life.” Farhi 2005

Take regular breaks from digital distractions and your fast paced day-to-day life. Sit in the park or at home in quiet contemplation, go to a yoga class or just pull out that mat (and take some deep breaths!) when you are feeling especially stressed. The purpose of yoga is to to be that reliable destresser, always on call to remind you that the key to happiness and leading a fulfilling, purposeful life is to understand yourself, rather than to spend all of your time seeking outside approval. 

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