KOZHIKODE: Experts here are of the view that a majority of Keralites treat yoga as a quick heal solution rather than a lifestyle.
Many throng yoga venues to get rid of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, asthma, cholesterol, bac-kache and spondylitis.
“Unfortunately most of us still do not recognise its intention of basically maintaining sound mental health. All other benefits, including physical fitness, come as a result,” well-known yoga instructor M. Vijayaraghavan said.
“Most people who are learning yoga belong to the middle-class. A majority of women want to cut down on fat”.
Only 10 per cent of people in Kerala continue practising yoga as a daily routine but 90 per cent of the foreigners stick to it lifelong.
T.P. Rajan, All India coordinator of ‘Friends of Yoga’, which conducts yoga classes in 22 countries, says the common belief here is that yoga is a course to be stopped after a certain period.
“Mostly we turn to yoga when some problems arise,” he said. Patanjali Yoga Research Centre director Unniraman P said courses were generally tailor-made according to the needs of professionals, homemakers and students.
“The daily session could be 30 minutes, 45 minutes or an hour. The basic package will include pranayama, yoga nidra and dhyana. According to the need, the asanas can be cut short to meet the time,” he said.
