By NAN
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, says practicing Yoga could provide a multidimensional solution to coronavirus (COVID-19).
The prime minsiter explained that it helps open the lungs, understands the immune system and unites body and soul.
Modi ,made this known in a video message which was made available by the Indian High Commission in Abuja in commemoration of the 2020 International Day of Yoga themed: Yoga at home.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the United Nations set aside June 21 to celebrate yoga, a physical, mental and spiritual exercise which originated from India.
According to Modi, Yoga offers something for everyone, it enables strong minds and healthy bodies and a practice that would be a focus and more popular in preventive health care post COVD-19 pandemic.
“I am happy to note the growing popularity of Yoga in the last few years, especially among the youths.
“We are marking the Sixth Yoga day in extraordinary times. Usually, Yoga day is about public events, and mass participation, but this day, yoga day goes indoors.
“The theme of this year is Yoga at home and Yoga with family.
“The world is fighting a pandemic on monumental scale but yoga provides multidimensional solutions to the multiple challenges COVID-19 has brought.
“Yoga gives you the opportunity to know your immune system better and put in extra efforts needed.
“Yoga has the potential to cater to our mental, physical and psychological challenges, it put to test how one can live in challenging times, Yoga offers something for everyone, it enables strong minds and healthy bodies.
“In the post COVID era, the focus on preventive health care will get stronger and that is why I am confident that Yoga will even more popular.
“The COVID-19 pandemic may have reduced our mobility but it should not affect our enthusiasm which is Yoga.
“Respecting the present international situation, let us mark the Sixth international day of Yoga from our homes, with our families and let us follow all forms of social distancing,” Modi said.
India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhay Thakur also reiterated the benefits of yoga to individuals’ health and a holistic approach beyond physical exercise that helps one discovers his/herself.
Thakur said that yoga was part of the solution from today’s problems and just like the new norm of the COVID-19 pandemic like observing digital meetings at home, yoga can be practiced at home observing social distancing.
He said that the High Commission is pleased to have observed Yoga day with necessary precautions of physical distancing and really spreading out and reaching out to people at home.
“Celebrating and practicing Yoga is even more relevant in this very challenging and difficult time of the pandemic of COVID-19.
“As the Ambassador, I will like to share that more than anything else, we tend to look at Yoga, cultural activities as a particular concept but Yoga is truly universal in today’s times, it basically means union.
“It is union with the self, union with the almighty, union with all your fellow compatriots and the most important message is let us look within.
“Analysing every movement of your body is like being your own doctor. Those in the medical profession would understand how brains functions, how muscle functions, how lung functions and how you breath.
“It is important that each of us also appreciates this in a holistic manner and this is more than what Yoga teaches us.
“If I know exactly how my lungs function or how my body operates, I know how I can relax so that my entire wellbeing improves.
“The universal message is even more relevant in today’s times, it would serve us well especially as we are short of health facilities.
“From the most developed countries in Europe, the Americas, developing countries like Nigeria and India,” Thakur said.
Mr Basant Ram, a Yoga therapist in a lecture said that the health benefits of yoga should not be taken for granted, stating that yoga is beyond a physical activity, but a practice that nourishes the soul.
He said that yoga is also less expensive to practice and as an activity that complies with the stay at home order and social distancing.
“From this pandemic, everyone is locked down in a house. Before now, when people exercise, they use supportive equipments, go to the gyms but Yoga requires just you and yourself.
“Yoga helps us preempts the disease, we start experiencing some low energies then it affects the mind and the body so you are able to detect the disease before it manifests in the body,” Ram said.
