Rajen Zed
Neva, United States of America
Saturday, May 6, 2017
Hindus have welcomed Parliament of Australia offering yoga classes/training to members in the Parliament House in Canberra.
This is a step in the direct direction and I commend the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) for coming forward with this initiative and providing an opportunity to members of Australian Parliament to avail the multiple benefits yoga offered.
Health & Recreation Centre managed by DPS at Parliament of Australia offers three yoga classes during sitting weeks, out of which one is “open only to Senators and Members”, while other building occupants can also join in the other two classes. The style of the yoga classes is mostly Vinyasa, but some other styles are also often blended.
Yoga classes were launched in 2011 at the Centre, reports suggest.
Yoga for all officials
I urge Parliaments of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia and legislative assemblies of Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, Norfolk Island Regional Council; and shires of Christmas and Cocos Keeling Islands to also offer yoga to their members so that they could make healthy decisions for their respective electorates by incorporating highly beneficial yoga in their lives.
The benefits of Yoga
Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization in India.
Although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, Yoga is a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilised by all.
According to Patanjali who codified it in ‘Yoga Sutra,’ yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.
US National Institutes of Health says that yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress.
A 2016 Yoga in America Study found that about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self-image.
Repository of basics
Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche.
Health and Recreation Centre was launched when the building opened in 1988. DPS has published a ‘Physical Fitness Guide,’ which includes ‘Body Drag,’ dragging a dummy of 50-55kg from under each armpit. Rob Stefanic is DPS Secretary.
Rajen Zed is President of Universal Society of Hinduism based in Nevada, USA
