Yoga and wellbeing in the modern era

Lukács, Andrea (2023) Yoga and wellbeing in the modern era. EGÉSZSÉGTUDOMÁNYI KÖZLEMÉNYEK, 13 (1). pp. 24-33. ISSN 2063-2142 (In Press)

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Abstract

Nowadays, yoga has become very popular and is known and practised almost all over the world. It is very difficult to define what yoga is, and even more difficult to interpret it in our modern understanding. There are many uncertainties about its origins, many assumptions, and little evidence. Theories rather than evidence have emerged, and thousands of books have been written about it, taking each other’s ideas or changing them slightly by the author(s). There are few original written records because it is an oral tradition. For centuries, yoga masters and their followers have kept yoga alive, and it has developed in many different directions. It came to the Western world in the last century and spread very rapidly in popularity. Over time it has evolved and adapted to different ages, cultures, and peoples. Yoga is the embodiment of well-being, which understands health holistically, in its physical, mental, spiritual, and social unity. It cannot be given a single meaning or interpreted in a uniform way. Everyone interprets it according to their own needs and expectations in their own cultural context. Therefore it means different things to different people. Yoga offers various forms of health maintenance and health promotion, as well as health-conscious behaviour that encourages individuals to follow the path of yoga, regardless of age, gender, religion, or health status. From the perspective of the individual, yoga views well-being as a state of being derived from the inner sphere of the person used to achieve, improve, and maintain health while being socially adaptable.

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