Opinion | Yogic mind stretch
1 min read 20 Jun 2019, 06:13 PM ISTTo clarify the point, he took care to add that political power eludes those who do not practice yoga
PremiumYoga guru-cum-businessman Ramdev has done us the courtesy of explaining the political returns of this ancient discipline. According to him, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi did yoga and this bestowed them with their “Raj yog", resulting in long stints in power. To clarify the point, he took care to add that political power eludes those who do not practise yoga. This International Yoga Day, perhaps it’s time to test the theory globally. That yoga is good, the world is aware. How it might bend body and mind towards high office, however, remains unknown.
For yoga publicity within India, All India Radio appears to be pursuing a stretch target. But unlike Ramdev, its emphasis is on the benefits that accrue by way of spiritual leadership. Some days ago, an announcer intoned that it’s said Jesus Christ himself made a trip to this country to learn yoga. Expect other exhortations. At this pace, the pursuit of a cosmic consciousness could go global far sooner than planned. Alas, the progress being made by humanity at large is not easy to track. If the world witnesses a great surge in political achievements and spiritual enlightenment, we’ll know.
