________________
Integral Yoga : Its Nature and Significance
3
•
oio
in the modern civilization of science and technology ceaselessly tries to discover the causes of several undesirable and evil events and overpower them by employing certain remedial and curative measures. The man of the 20th century feels great confidence more than ever before to be able to diagnose the causes of several evils of the world, and tries either to prevent or stop or cure them by employing appropriate remedial measures. He does succeed in correcting and improving the situation, but he succeeds very little. As man's power over natural agencies and forces increases, his helplessness also increases in some other direction and sense. The capacity of man to control, modify and improve nature according to his requirements and expectations always falls short and inadequate, and therefore the problems of his life always continue to confront him.
The Functions of Yoga Man therefore stands in need of improving his powers either by scientific and technological means or by some other method. Yoga, according to Sri Aurobindo, is a method and technique of improving and enhancing man's powers in various directions. According to the traditional belief, Yoga primarily performs one function of giving peace of mind and freedom excitability and perturbability of the mind. Yes, Yoga certainly sets man in his self firmly and brings to him peace, tranquillity and imperturbability. But this is a limited function of Yoga. Yoga formerly acted as a technique to give man liberation (Mokşa) by helping him to enter into an experience of trance and Samādhi. It is all true. The traditional Yoga had a specific and limited purpose and function, and the Yogic training did enable man to overcome some of his hurdles and attain certain super-moral and super-natural (occult) powers (siddhis). The traditional idea of Yoga had serious limitations and since it appeared to be cut off from the usual and normal current of life, the sphere of Yoga was as if reserved for and confined to individuals of special interests, aptitudes and aspirations.
Yoga for Everyday Life Now in the present century there has been a revolutionary change in the outlook on and attitude to Yoga. Yoga is now brought also to man's normal and daily life. Yoga has now ceased to be a secret and sacred occupation of a few privileged persons. The Yoga is brought close to the life of the present man and its help is called upon to solve the problems of the current life. Sri Aurobindo is the first and the most original thinker and a pioneer in this field of Yoga. He carried out Research of tremendous significance in the field of Yoga, and showed how Yoga can be made to bear on the current life of man. He is the first to declare "All life is Yoga"; that Yogic life is not something very much mystical and unconcerned with the life of the average man. He brought down the secrets of the spiritual life and the life of Yoga to the life of the common and normal man, and showed by his own experiences and example how Yoga transforms the life of earthly man.
Yoga not Indifferent to Man's Social Life Perhaps it is a misunderstanding which is continuing from very ancient times that Yoga is unrelated to the worldly life, and that it is indifferent to the current problems of the social life. There is an aspect of Yoga, which deals with the attainments of higher states of consciousness, and Yogins interested in such pursuits may be said to be indifferent to the actual problems of life of the man in society. But it is Sri Aurobindo who has emphatically given a new turn to this approach to Yoga, Yoga, according to him, has a positive role to play in the progress and enrichment of life. A Yoga which feels no concern for the perplexing problems of man's life and does not seek to solve those problems cannot be considered to be a sound or ideal kind of Yoga, since it provides only for an individual's personal gain.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
