Let’s practise yoga correctly, more so in Covid times

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If people were not hemmed in by Coronavirus restrictions International Yoga Day (IYD) would have been celebrated differently in Mumbai. Since 2015, IYD has caught the imagination of the world and the city, too. Venues everywhere are dotted with yoga practitioners early in the morning on that day, and there is usually a teacher heading the session. Yoga studios hold special sessions and at several places, students invite outsiders for a one-time session of yoga, just to mark the day. It is a day with a difference and a very celebratory one, a great world showcase for yoga.

Yoga has added prominence in Covid times, with so much stress on exercise that helps build immunity or even the ability to fight back better against any disease. We also have a lot of social media posts about yoga breathing aiding post Covid-19 and improving general, overall health.

Covid-19 or not, there is little to dispute the benefits of yoga. What is vital though is that we learn and practise it correctly. Weed out fake teachers or bogus gurus peddling a few contortions on social media as proof and instant certification as yoga instructors. Following half-baked instructions can be extremely dangerous and injurious to health.

The pandemic has spawned so many fakes. From fake drugs, to fake Covid-19 tests, digital online finance scams and now the big one, vaccination scams. Yoga could very well also see an uptick in dubious teachers or gurus given that restricted mobility, fewer avenues to exercise has meant more stress on yoga.

Even gyms, when they open full-fledged post pandemic, are going to see an emphasis on yoga or a rush to sign up for yoga batches. They must vet candidates for instructors and check for credibility. Yoga is the new buzzword, and let us put the focus on genuine teachers, because that translates to safety for learners.