Enhancing your academic success through ancient wisdom

Mahesh Bang|Published

How to increase your luck with your studies, as per ancient wisdom:

You should touch your parents feet daily, as they are a store-house of blessings. Touching the feet of your parents is simply a mark of love and respect for them. It is also a request for their blessings.

According to Hindu belief, all the Gods and Goddesses are believed to be residing at the feet of the elders. By touching the feet we pay respect to our elders and get their blessings as well as from all the gods and goddesses.

There is a scientific reason why we bow and touch our elders feet.

Whenever we touch the feet of our elders we withdraw the positive energy that is flowing throughout the toes.

This positive energy scientifically blesses us by giving a positive attitude, positive feelings and encouragement when the withdrawn energy is polished over the forehead or face.

Keep this in mind. Since parents are responsible for their children's care, there is a moral obligation for those children to take care of their parents when they become elderly.

Parents are morally and legally obligated to care for their children when they are young. They provide shelter, food, clothes, etc. It is therefore only fair that when those children grow up and their parents become elderly, they take up some responsibility to provide a decent life for their parents.

While it is not a legal obligation, it is a moral obligation.

Today our parents have become old and depend on us. It doesn't mean that we should feel burdened by them.

One should not forget that we are where we are today because of their blood, sweat, efforts and blessings.

Tomorrow we will attain the age of our elderly parents but they cannot come back to our age. To the young generation, take care of your parents with a huge amount of love and affection in their old age.

Read the Shree Hanuman Chalisa daily to improve studies.

"Tvameva Mata cha Pita Tvameva, Tvameva Bandhu cha Sakha Tvameva, Tvameva Vidya Dravinam Tvameva, Tvameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva". Every child should read these lines once a day while doing their normal prayer. It will give them strength, good education, a strong mind, prosperity and good luck.

Eat three to five almonds daily in the morning. It is best to soak it in water overnight and next morning chew it with milk. This helps improve memory.

What does yoga mean and how does it work?

The main aim of yoga is the union of mind, body and spirit to realise the unitive state. It's an ideal way to focus the mind on body movement, stretching and posture.

Each stretch is called an asana, which coordinates with breathing. Most postures should be held for at least 10 seconds before releasing. This brings attention to what's occurring in the body thereby obscuring all other things from the mind and establishing a sense of peace.

Since yoga is low-impact, it is easier to continue practicing it daily. If you begin with a 15 to 20 minute class each day, increase gradually to about 60 minutes.

For beginners who need movement, yoga is a great way to start a weight loss journey. It keeps you moving.

However, it is recommended to initially learn under a teacher who is experienced. It's not advisable to just copy asanas on social media, as each person's body shape, structure and physical health issues are different. A structured program can be composed for each individual.

A yoga practice can also help to build strength. As muscles become stronger, your metabolism will become faster.

Yoga is actually a low impact alternative to weight lifting. It also maintains good joint health, whereas weight lifting may impact the joints.

The spiritual aspect of yoga:

Yoga is often broken down into eight stages as delineated by the sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras.

There are many facets of yoga , the most popular aspect being the physical effect. However physical is the result seen after it has already altered one on a spiritual and emotional level. Some of these facets include:

• Yama/Restraint: Actions best avoided.

• Niyama/Observance: Positive actions to cultivate.

• Asana/Posture: Releasing tensions from the body.

• Pranayama/Breath Regulation: Harmonising body, mind and breathing.

• Pratyahara/Introversion: Withdrawing attention from external distractions.

• Dharana/Concentration: Focusing the mind on a single point.

• Dhyana/Meditation: Accessing a state of flow.

• Samadhi/Oneness: Effortless, integrated being.

The central philosophical teachings of yoga revolve around the practice of mental discernment, detachment, spiritual knowledge and self-awareness.

It is another type of meditation, people who regularly practice yoga stand out in a crowd as their aura changes, they look and feel more youthful and their overall health improves.

For this reason many actors, celebrities and politicians have taken up this practice.

It is easy, convenient and extremely beneficial. There are many facets to yoga, the most popular being the physical effect.

Some quick and easy asanas are:

Mountain pose (Tadasana), triangle pose (Utthita Trikonasana), standing forward bend (Uttanasana), cat-cow stretch (Chakravakasana), bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana), cobra pose (Bhujangasana), half lord of the fish pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana).

Salutation to the rising sun (Suryanamaskar), is a full body workout in one asana.

Some of the benefits of regular practice are:

1. Improvement of strength, balance and flexibility.

2. Relief of back and other joint pain.

3. Ease of arthritis symptoms and strengthening of muscles surrounding the joints.

4. Improves heart health and overall blood flow and oxygenation of tissues, along with emotional health.

5. It's relaxing and ultimately one sleeps better.

6. More energy and brighter moods ultimately enhance one's personality.

7. Better stress management, in adverse situations, clearer and quick thinking.

Research shows that a consistent yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset. You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.

The law of karma is central to the philosophy of yoga. The effort is to maintain well-being.

From an astrological perspective, if one does regular yoga they empower the planets relating to the health chart in one's horoscope.

Yoga also incorporates the concepts of the subtle body and the spiritual energies of prana and kundalini moving through the nadis and chakras.

Hatha yoga is especially popular among westerners and is steeped in the concepts of this energy anatomy. Other yoga are Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Tantra Yoga.

The ultimate goal of yoga is a sustained state of pure consciousness called moksha or Samadhi.

Yoga is the transcendence of the mind to realise the “true self” or “highest self.”

This experience of purity is our true nature.

In this state of liberation, all mental and psychological constructs fall away. In essence, yoga is a necessary means to deepen one’s self awareness and to reach enlightenment.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2015.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE