Contribution of Mind Yoga for present Education System

VedaRavishangar
Research Co-ordinator
Vedic & Scientific Research Foundation
www.vsrf.org.in
vedaravishangar@gmail.com
Introduction :
In the current education environment, it is very much essential to look in to the type of
education that was being imparted to the students in our Country as well as the different
levels of stress that students face in the classroom environment including the difficulties,
problems, conflicts, distractions and dissipation of their energies because the quality of
the students coming out from the Institutions are far low when compared to other
countries. The PISA (Program for International Student Evaluation) conducted by ACER
(Australian Council for Education Research ) shockingly reveals the present education
quality of India when compared to other countries. India stands 72 nd Rank in
Mathematics, Science and Reading among 75 countries in 2009 PISA global evaluation
test. The ASER (Annual Status of Education Report - Rural) by Pratham Education
Foundation Survey from 2005 2013 reveals the deterioration of education quality
among students.
Our belief was, and still is, that we are educating our students without considering or
caring for the growth of their entire personality. We are cramming their brains and minds
with information without creating any support group outside the classroom environment
where they can continue to imbibe education.We have to look at what science says about
the growth of a child, what psychoanalysis says about child psychology and how the
hormones and glands alter and influence the rationality, emotional structure and creative
output of the child.
Science tells us that there are two hemispheres in our brain, the right and the left. These
two hemispheres perform different functions. The functions of the left hemisphere are
linear, logical and intellectual. Those of the right hemisphere are artistic, creative and
intuitive. If we consider these facts, the education system does not allow the child to
develop the full potential of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. The trend of
education has been through books. You read, memorize, sit for an exam and receive a
grade. Either you pass or fail. Again you have to read, memorize, sit for an exam and get
your grade.
The subjects which are taught follow a linear, logical system, whether it is maths,
history, geography, physics, chemistry or medicine, whether it is advanced education or
secondary education. In this process only one side of the brain is stimulated - the linear,
logical side. In order to balance the other aspects, we teach children the arts. We
encourage them to practise music, to paint, to perform plays. We encourage them to use
their creativity. But if you compare the influence of the different lobes of the brain, you
will find that the linear and logical are more pronounced than the artistic and creative.

Developing the whole mind:

The brain is only the medium through which we educate our mind. The mind is a
composition of four different faculties, which in yogic terminology are defined as manas,
buddhi, chitta and ahamkara. The word manas means to rationalize, to think about
something. Buddhi means intellect. Chitta is an area of consciousness where impressions
are stored. Ahamkara is the concept of ego.
In the modern education system we are feeding only one aspect of the mind - buddhi.
We are not dealing with the manas aspect, which deals with the faculty to know what is
right and what is wrong. We are not dealing with chitta, where impressions of knowledge
are stored in the form of memory and experience. Nor are we dealing with ahamkara, the
ego. Rather we are cramming buddhi with information without boosting up the other
aspects of our mind. Therefore, despite all our education, we are not able to apply it
constructively and creatively in our lives.
Despite all our understanding of right and wrong, we become confused if we have to
decide what we need to do. At the same time, as teachers and as parents, most of the
time we ignore the psychological samskaras and the psychological nature of the child.
It is important for each one of us to provide opportunities for the students to recognize
themselves, to use their potential, to develop and awaken their personality, without
parents imposing their own personal ideologies on them.
Proper education can only be received when the students are allowed to use their
intuitive abilities along with their intellectual abilities in order to overcome their fears and
inhibitions and the psychological pressures from the society.

Yoga in the Classroom :

The system of educating students has to be different. It has to be combined with certain
practices which can remove their psychological blocks, which can make them aware of
the psychological changes that happen in their body and brain, which can make them
aware of their own distractions and which can give them the ability to focus on the theme
of the subject they are studying.
In Europe, RYE (Research on Yoga in Education) schools, the classes begin and end with
the practice of two asanas and one pranayama. So if a child has to sit through six or
eight classes during the day, he or she is practising two asanas and one pranayama
sixteen times each day at the beginning and at the end of each class. In Europe, the
schools have a psychologist who monitors the performance, behaviour and aptitude of
the child and who tries to create a support group for the child in the home environment.
When the children who were practising yoga in the classroom were monitored, a marked
improvement in their responses, creativity, receptivity, memory, willpower and behaviour
was found. The children were more relaxed, focused, one-pointed and tranquil than their
counterparts in other classes who were not practising yoga and who were more
destructive, restless, violent and distracted.

In America, in RYE Schools, the teachers started teaching pranayama to the students.
The students were told to breathe in and out in unison with the help of a big grandfather
clock. When the pendulum swung to one side, everybody was supposed to breathe in and
when the pendulum swung to the other side, everybody was supposed to breathe out.
After a few moments the breathing pattern had become regular and was coordinated with
the swing of the pendulum. The teachers then gave instructions when the students were
breathing out and became silent when the students were breathing in.
Now you may wonder what this has to do with education. But it is very important and
relevant because psychologists have said that when we breathe in, we create
psychological, emotional and rational blocks in our mind. The energy of the body, brain
and mind is withdrawn. When we breathe out, relaxation takes place in the body, in the
nervous system, in the mind and in the brain. If you provide information when the
physical systems are relaxed, it is retained by the brain and not easily forgotten.

Mind Yoga in Bhaghavat Gita:

In our holy Bhaghavat Gita, the actual system of yoga - atma sanyama yoga is
described. This is the yoga of self-control. The 6th chapter of the Gita discusses this yoga,
Lord Krishna says that it is the duty of man that he should raise himself form the
bondage of the world, because self itself is his friend as well as his enemy. For the yoga
of the self it is necessary that a yogi must have sense of equality between the pebble and
gold. Further, it is said that a yogi should devote his mind in a lonely, sanctified place. He
should keep his mind steady and control his sense. He should perceive at the tip of the
nose without perceiving in any direction. In this way of yoga should have peaceful mind
without any fear. But this yoga is not possible by over eating or no eating, by over
sleeping or over walking. A person who controls the mind perceives the self through the
self with in the self. This form of yoga is possible through abhyasa and vairagya. In this
way, the 6th chapter of the Gita decribes the whole system of yoga of self control for
realization of the Divine Bless within our own self. The Gita as a part of the Mahabharata
has a unique place in Indian Yoga tradition. It deals with different kinds of Yoga which
are always seen to be the complements of each others because without detached action,
devotion is not possible and without self-knowledge both action and devotion have no
meaning. In this way all forms of yoga are directed towards the path of self-realization
which is the real goal of human life.
Uddhared atmanatmanam natmanam avasadayet
Atmaiva hyatmano bandhur atmaiva ripur atmanah
Bhaghavad Gita 6.5
Uddharet---one must deliver, atmana---by the mind, atmanam---the conditioned soul,
na---never, atmanam---the conditioned soul, avasadayet---put into degradation, atma--mind, eva---certainly, hi---indeed, atmanah---of the conditioned soul, bandhuh---friend,
atma---mind, eva---certainly, ripuh---enemy, atmanah---of the conditioned soul.

One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself.
The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.
The word atma denotes body, mind and soul--- depending upon different circumstances.
In the yoga system, the mind and the conditioned soul are especially important. Since
the mind is the central point of yoga practice, atma refers here to the mind. The purpose
of the yoga system is to control the mind and to draw it away from attachment to sense
objects. It is stressed herein that the mind must be so trained that it can deliver the
conditioned soul from the mire of nescience. In material existence one is subjected to the
influence of the mind and senses. In fact, the pure soul is entangled in the material world
because the mind is involved with the false ego, which desires to lord it over material
nature. Therefore, the mind should be trained so that it will not be attracted by the glitter
of material nature, and in this way the conditioned soul may be saved. One should not
degrade oneself by attraction to sense objects. The more one is attracted by sense
objects, the more one becomes entangled in material existence.
Bandhar atmatmanas tasya yenatmaivatmana jitah
anatmanas tu satrutve vartetamaiva satru-vat
Bhagavad Gita 6.6
Bandhuh-friend, atma-mind, atmanah- of the living entity, tasya-of him, yena-by whom,
atma-th emind, eva-certainly, atmana-by the living entity, jitah-conquered, anatamanahof one who has failed to control the mind, tu- but, satrutve-because of enmity, vartetaremains, atma eva- the very mind, satru-vat- as an enemy.
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends, but for
one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.
The purpose of practicing eightfold yoga is to control the mind in order to make it a
friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the mind is controlled, the practice of
yoga/for show is simply a waste of time. One who cannot control his mind lives always
with the greatest enemy, and thus his life and its mission are spoiled. The constitutional
position of the living entity is to carry out the order of the superior. As long as ones mind
remains an unconquered enemy, on has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice,
illusion, etc., but when the mind conquered, one voluntarily agrees to abide by the
dictation of the personality of godhead, who is situated with in the heart of every one as
Parramatta.
Jitatmanah prasantasya paramatma samahitah
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu tatha manapamanayoh
Bhagavad Gita 6.7
Jita-atmanah-of one who has conquered his mind, prasantasya-who has attained
tranquility by such control over the mind, parama atma- the supersoul, samahitahapproached completely, sita-in cold, usna-heat, sukha-happiness, duhkhesu-and distress,
tatha-also, mana-in honor, apamanayho-and dishonor.
For one who has conquered the mind, the supersoul is already reached, for he
has attained tranquility, to such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold
honor and dishonor are all the same.

Actually, every living entity is intended to abide by the dictation of the supreme
personality of godhead, who is seated in every ones heart as paramataa. When the mind
is misled by the external, illusory energy, one becomes entangled in material activities.
Therefore, as soon as ones mind is controlled through one of the yoga system, one
should be considered to have already reached the destination. One has to abide by
superior dictation. When ones mind is fixed on the superior nature, he has no alternative
but to follow the dictation of the supreme. The mind must admit some superior dictation
and follow it. The effect of controlling the mind is that one automatically follows the
dictation of the paramatma, or supersoul.
Conclusion:
The seed of various kinds of yoga are found in the Bhagavat, the Mahabharata, the
smiritis and the Upanishads. After the vedic samhitas, the seed of the system of yoga
started sprouting everywhere in the Upanisads, the Puranas and the Mahabharata.
Subsequently these tiny seeds of yoga took the shape of colossal tree under whose shade
all the spiritual schools of Indian thoughts take rest and try to realize the hidden truth
within their own self by following the practical part of yoga.
The imparting of the knowledge of yoga in the education system is very essential as it
increases the creativity, intuitive power and simultaneously relieving the stress as a
whole.
References :
- Yoga in Hindu Scriptures by Yoga Ratna H. Kumar Kaul
- Srimad Bhaghavad Gita by Acharya Ramanuja
- Yoga Its theory and Practice Abhideenanda Swamiji, Ramakrishna math,
Calcutta
- The Philosophy of the Yoga B.L. Athreya , Madras Theosophical society

About the Author:

Veda Ravishangar is serving as a spiritual consultant & research co-ordinator for Vedic & Scientific
Research Foundation (VSRF) and he is one of the main disciple of Spiritual master of Atharva Veda His Holiness Sri.Sri.Sri. Ramakrishnananda Saraswathy Swamigal - Sankaracharya of SriVidya
Peetam(Rishikesh) and served under him for 14 years and attained knowledge on mantras, tantras,
yagnas, vedas. He has been deeply involving himself in decoding the scientific knowledge hidden in
Indian ancient vedic tradition and worked as Research Co-Investigator in VSRF projects with
DRDO(Defence Research Development Organization-Ministry of Defence , Government of India) and
as Research Support service provider in VSRF project with ISRO(Indian Space Research
Organization-Government of India). He has conducted Stress & Mind Management programs for
Indian Military personnel, Scientists, national players, students. He has conducted mind workshops in
many universities in India and also in HAN University-Holland, Gothenburg University-Sweden.