Indian Knowledge System - Yoga PDF Notes

Notes on Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 1  INDEX Topic No. Topic & Sub-topics Page No. A Basic Nutrition 3-23 A.1 Discu...

Notes on Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 1  INDEX Topic No. Topic & Sub-topics Page No. A Basic Nutrition 3-23 A.1 Discussion on food habits 3 A.2 importance of healthy food habits 5 A.3 food borne illness 11 B Physical well-being and activities 24-37 B.1 Benefits of physical activity and need for change 24 B.2 Physical fitness components 28 C Practical session 38-67 C.1 Yoga 38 C.2 Surya namaskar 40 C.3 Asana 50 C.4 Pranayama 63 D Healthy Routine and Habit Tracker 68-81 D.1 Guidelines to follow a healthy routine 69 D.2 Habit tracker 73 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 2  A. Basic Nutrition A.1 Discussion of food habits Ice-breaker Students have to introduce themselves and speak about their understanding of importance of nutrition Ask students to introduce themselves and their understanding of the importance of nutrition. Ask them questions like what is nutrition? What roles does nutrition play in human life? Ask them to give examples of the impact of nutrition on the body. Discussion on food habits of the students Session objective: 1) To provide the students with an overview of the course on Health and nutrition 2) To make the students aware of the importance of a balanced diet and exercise What is health? Ask the students about their understanding of good health. There will be different answers like having a good physique, good height, normal weight, shiny hair, smooth skin and so on. Ask students if Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being or It is just the absence of any disease. The facilitator will then read the below for them and make them understand: As per the definition of WHO (World Health Organization) Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of any disease. Health can be achieved by working on 3 major components together: Body, Mind, Soul 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 3 What is nutrition? Ask the students about their understanding of nutrition. There will be different answers like it is related to food, it is related to nutrients, it is related to food and its action/effects on our body, and so on. The definition of Nutrition is as follows: Nutrition is a science that deals with food that we consume and its impact on our body. What are the nutrients? Ask the students about nutrients. There will be different answers like nutrients are required for body activities, they are required for growth, there are different nutrients like vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and so on. The definition of Nutrients is as follows: Nutrients are the chemical components present in food which play a vital role in various functions of the body. We will discuss various nutrients in the next topic. Introduction Nutrition is essential for human health and development. It involves the consumption of food 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 4 necessary to support life and promote growth. Understanding nutrition encompasses studying food habits, the importance of healthy eating, and the risks associated with foodborne illnesses. This comprehensive guide aims to provide detailed knowledge on these topics, helping students make informed decisions about their diet and health. A.2 Importance of Healthy Food Habits Healthy food habits are essential for maintaining overall well-being and preventing various health issues. These habits involve choosing nutritious foods, eating balanced meals, and maintaining a consistent eating schedule. Understanding the importance of healthy food habits can lead to better health outcomes and improved quality of life. What are Nutrients? The foods we eat contain nutrients. Nutrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions. Nutrients must be obtained from our diet, since the human body does not synthesize or produce them. Nutrients have one or more of three basic functions: they provide energy, contribute to body structure, and regulate chemical processes in the body. These basic functions allow us to detect and respond to environmental surroundings, move, excrete wastes, respire (breathe), grow, and reproduce. There are six classes of nutrients required for the body to function and maintain overall health. These are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. Foods also contain non-nutrients that may be harmful (such as natural toxins common in plant foods and additives like some dyes and preservatives) or beneficial (such as antioxidants). 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 5 Figure 1.1 The Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Lipids, Protein, and Water Nutrient Sufficiency Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods ensures that the body gets all the essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs to function correctly. 1. Vitamins and Minerals: Essential for various bodily functions, including immune response, energy production, and bone health. 2. Proteins: Crucial for building and repairing tissues, and producing enzymes and hormones. 3. Healthy Fats: Important for brain health, hormone production, and energy. 4. Fiber: Aids in digestion, helps control blood sugar levels, and lowers cholesterol. Figure 1.2: A variety of nutrient-rich foods. Disease Prevention 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 6  Healthy eating habits can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as: 1. Heart Disease: Consuming a diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol can lower the risk of heart disease. 2. Diabetes: Balanced diets that include whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats help maintain stable blood sugar levels. 3. Obesity: Healthy eating helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing the risk of obesity-related conditions. 4. Cancer: Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can lower the risk of certain cancers. Healthy Growth and Development For children and adolescents, healthy eating is crucial for proper growth and development. 1. Physical Growth: Adequate nutrients support bone growth, muscle development, and overall physical development. 2. Cognitive Development: Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and vitamins are vital for brain development and cognitive function. 3. Emotional Well-being: Proper nutrition contributes to stable moods and energy levels, which are important for emotional health. Mental Health Healthy food habits are linked to better mental health and cognitive function. 1. Mood Improvement: Nutrient-rich foods help regulate mood and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety. 2. Cognitive Function: Adequate nutrition supports brain health, improving memory, concentration, and overall cognitive function. Key Components of Healthy Eating Variety 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 7  Eating a wide range of foods ensures a diverse intake of nutrients. 1. Fruits and Vegetables: Provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 2. Proteins: Include lean meats, fish, beans, and nuts for muscle health and repair. 3. Grains: Whole grains like brown rice, oats, and whole wheat provide energy and fiber. 4. Dairy: Low-fat or fat-free options supply calcium and vitamin D. 5. Fats: Healthy fats from sources like olive oil, avocados, and nuts support brain health and hormone production. Figure 1.3: The MyPlate model - Emphasizes variety in a balanced diet. Balance Diet Ensuring the right proportions of different food groups helps maintain optimal health. Carbohydrates: Should make up about 45-65% of total daily calories. Proteins: Should account for 10-35% of daily calories. Fats: Should comprise 20-35% of daily calories, with an emphasis on healthy fats. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 8 Figure 1.4: Balanced meals include appropriate proportions of food groups. Moderation Moderation in food intake prevents overconsumption and promotes a healthy weight. 1. Portion Control: Eating appropriate portion sizes helps prevent overeating. 2. Limiting Unhealthy Foods: Reducing the intake of foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats is crucial for maintaining health. Figure 1.5: Portion control helps maintain a healthy weight and prevents overeating. Dietary Guidelines 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 9  Following dietary guidelines can help maintain healthy food habits. 1. Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for at least five servings a day. 2. Whole Grains: Choose whole grains over refined grains. 3. Lean Proteins: Include a variety of protein sources, such as lean meats, fish, beans, and nuts. 4. Dairy: Opt for low-fat or fat-free dairy products. 5. Healthy Fats: Use healthy fats like olive oil and limit saturated and trans fats. 6. Sugars and Salt: Limit foods and drinks high in added sugars and reduce salt intake. Figure:-1.5 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 10  Figure:-1.6 A.3 Foodborne Illness Foodborne illnesses, also known as food poisoning, are caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages. These illnesses can result from various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins. Understanding foodborne illnesses is crucial for preventing them and ensuring food safety. Causes of Foodborne Illness 1. Bacteria: Bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria are common culprits of foodborne illnesses. They can contaminate food at various stages of production and preparation. 2. Viruses: Norovirus and Hepatitis A are examples of viruses that can cause foodborne illnesses. These viruses can spread through contaminated food and water, and through improper handling. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 11  3. Parasites: Parasites like Giardia and Trichinella can contaminate food, particularly undercooked meats and contaminated water. 4. Toxins: Some bacteria produce toxins that can contaminate food, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum. Additionally, naturally occurring toxins in foods, like mycotoxins from mold, can cause illness. Symptoms of Foodborne Illness The symptoms of foodborne illness can vary depending on the pathogen, but common symptoms include: 1. Nausea 2. Vomiting 3. Diarrhea 4. Abdominal pain and cramps 5. Fever Diagram of Symptoms 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 12 Figure 1.7: Common symptoms of foodborne illness. Prevention of Foodborne Illness Preventing foodborne illness involves proper food handling, cooking, and storage practices. Here are key steps to ensure food safety: Clean 1. Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces often. 2. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking them. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 13 Figure 1.8: Proper handwashing technique. Separate 1. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods. 2. Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 14 Cook 1. Cook foods to the right temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Use a food thermometer to check. a. Poultry: 165°F (75°C) b. Ground meat: 160°F (70°C) c. Fresh beef, pork, lamb, and veal: 145°F (63°C) with a rest time of 3 minutes Figure 1.9: Using a food thermometer to check the cooking temperature. ACTIVITY: Write the appropriate numbers for the given process of nutrition a) Food undergoes digestion b) Nutrients are used for keeping the body healthy, fight against infections and preserve some nutrients for future use c) We eat food d) Nutrients are received by body cells The answer keys are c, a, d, b 1) We eat food 2) Food undergoes digestion 3) Nutrients are received by body cells 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 15  4) Nutrients are used for keeping the body healthy, fight against infections and preserve some nutrients for future use How are health and food interrelated? Ask the students about the inter-relationship between health and nutrition with examples. The food that we consume reflects on our health. The better nutrition we receive, we will be in good health (Explain this with following) You would have read that “You are what you eat” which means if you eat junk foods (like pasta, pizza, fried foods, bakery products, cold-drinks) daily and do not exercise, there are higher chances of you becoming fat/obese. On the other hand, the one who takes a balanced diet and exercises regularly remains fit even with the increasing age. A healthy individual follows meal timing and consumes all the nutrients required by the body in the right quantity (explain this with following) It is important to eat your meals at a fixed time. If you skip your meal, you will overeat during the next meal or crave for fried foods which in turn increase your weight. In major meals, you should include all the 5 food groups (1-cereals & its products, 2- Fruits and vegetables, 3- Pulses, 4- Nuts, Dairy and non-veg products, 5- oil, sugar & fats) to receive all the nutrients as per body's need Nutrition received from the foods reflects into our weight, posture, immunity and mood. (explain this with following) If the nutrients are not consumed or received adequately from the diet then there are deficiencies of these nutrients and it leads to poor health. For example, if you don't receive a sufficient quantity of proteins from the diet, one will not be able to maintain weight as desired or fall ill because of poor resistance to infections and low immunity HEALTH ASSESSMENT: Health Questionnaire: Circle yes or no 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 16  Do you sleep for 7 hours daily? YES/NO 1) Do you sleep before 10.30pm? YES/NO 2) Do you exercise or play at least 30 minutes daily? YES/NO 3) Do you exercise or play at least 3-4 times a week? YES/NO 4) Do you drink 7-8 glasses of water daily? YES/NO 5) Do you eat 4-5 times at a fixed time daily? YES/NO 6) Do you skip your meals? YES/NO 7) Do you feel that you overeat in the next meal when you skip your meal? YES/NO 8) When you are angry or stressed you eat chips, chocolates, cakes, coke? YES/NO 9)Do you eat at least 1 fruit daily? YES/NO 10) Do you eat leafy vegetables at least 2 times a week? YES/NO 11) Do you eat chocolates or candies more than 2 times a week? YES/NO 12) Do you consume at least 1 cup (240ml) of milk or an equal quantity of curd daily? YES/NO 13) Do you take salads for both lunch and dinner daily? YES/NO 14) Do you eat breakfast daily? YES/NO 15) Do you eat pizza/burger/cakes/pastries/pav bhaji/panipuri/sevpuri/cold-drinks/ biscuits/cream rolls/chips more than once a week? YES/NO 16) Do you often take fried foods for meals? YES/NO 17) Do you daily include at least 2 servings of any of the following dal/pulse/soya/non-veg product (fish, chicken, eggs)? YES/NO 18) Do you consume more than 2 cups of tea/coffee daily? YES/NO 19) Do you have any of your parents or grandparents who have a history of diabetes or high blood pressure or a heart problem? YES/NO If more than 6 answers are “no” then you need to learn and practice healthy habits which we 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 17  will discuss in further sessions. Debrief: 1) Do you sleep for 7 hours daily? Sleep is the time for the body to relax both, physically and mentally. An undisturbed sleep of at least 6-7 hours is recommended for all individuals to be attentive throughout the day and work actively. Good, undisturbed sleep also improves alertness, memory and concentration. 2) Do you sleep before 10.30pm? Usually, most of the people work on computers or are busy with mobile phones till late at night. This disturbs the body's sleep mechanism and the body is not able to relax for at least 6 hours without any disturbances. It is also important to remember that most of the internal repair work of body cells takes place during sleep and hence it is essential to sleep early, so that the body gets enough time to work on internal maintenance work and also you start your next day early devoting time to exercise. 3) Do you exercise or play at least 30 minutes daily? 4) Do you exercise or play at least 3-4 times a week? Exercise or any other form of physical activity (like sports) is important not only to keep weight under control but also to keep your heart healthy, delay aging and have a good mood. Exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. As per the recommendations of WHO (World Health Organization), Adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. However, for a beginner, always consult a qualified physician or a qualified fitness 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 18  Instructor and start with low intensity and less duration and then gradually increase the duration and intensity. 5) Do you drink 7-8 glasses of water daily? Though water does not provide any nutrients except fluoride, it is important as 60-70% of the human body contains water. This means all body cells of the human body are composed of water apart from other components. Also, all the body fluids like saliva, blood, digestive juices, cerebrospinal fluid (fluid in brain cells) contain water as their main ingredient. Water plays an important role in detoxification of the body by removing toxic materials from the body in the form of sweat, urine and stool. To remain healthy, 2-3 liters of fluid should be consumed daily which includes plain water and other fluids like soup, juices, green tea, gravy, dal etc. Tea and coffee are not considered in these 2-3 liters of fluid. 6) Do you eat 4-5 times at a fixed time daily? A fixed meal schedule should always be followed. Instead of eating 3 larger meals in a day, it is best to break food intake into 4-5 meals (ie 3 meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner and 2 snacks: Mid-morning snacks & evening snacks). Meals consumed regularly at fixed timings help in better digestion of food and it also ensures maximum utilization of nutrients. 7) Do you skip your meals? Never skip your meals how matter how busy you are. Skipping meals means your body cells are starved of energy and nutrients for longer. This leads to a lack of mental concentration in work or studies. Skipping meals also causes acidity. 8) Do you feel that you overeat in the next meal when you skip your meal? When you skip a meal, you tend to overeat in the next meal to compensate for the skipped meal time. However, this is not a correct practice. Because an excess of food 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 19  overloads your stomach which causes problems with digestion and also hinders absorption of nutrients. 9) When you are angry or stressed you eat chips, chocolates, cakes, coke? When one gets angry, there are certain hormonal changes in the body which utilizes stored fuel sources of the body. And hence to provide body cells with the energy, our brain generates a craving for high fat, high sugar and high salt products like chips, chocolates, cakes, coke. 10) Do you eat at least 1 fruit daily? Fruits are eaten raw and their nutrient content remains intact if consumed immediately after you cut them. The longer you keep cutting fruits, the greater is the nutrient loss. Fruits are also a good source of fibers. Fibers help in better digestion of food and also helps in detoxification of the body. 11) Do you eat leafy vegetables at least 2 times a week? Green leafy vegetables (methi/fenugreek leaves, palak/spinach, leaves/cowpea leaves, drumstick leaves, colocasia leaves, pudina/mint, dhania/coriander leaves) are rich sources of calcium, iron and fiber. Calcium helps to strengthen bones, iron is required for the formation of hemoglobin in red b Do you eat pizza/burger/cakes/pastries/pav bhaji/panipuri/sevpuri/cold-drinks/ biscuits/cream rolls/chips more than once a week? blood cells and fibers help in easy elimination of feces/stool from the body. 12) Do you eat chocolates or candies more than 2 times a week? Chocolates and candies are very rich in sugar and also contain artificial flavors &/or colors. Too much consumption of foods high in sugar leads to weight gain. To accentuate the appearance of the foods, most of the foods in the market are added with artificial colors and flavors. It is best to avoid foods containing artificial colors and flavors as they are chemicals and regular consumption of such products is not healthy. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 20  13) Do you consume at least 1 cup (240ml) of milk or an equal quantity of curd daily? Milk is the best source of proteins and calcium. Proteins help to fight against infections and it also helps to build muscles in the body which help in managing weight. Calcium is essential for bone formation. 14) Do you take salads for both lunch and dinner daily? Salads are raw vegetables. Cooking destroys most of the water-soluble nutrients and hence salads should be included in both lunch and dinner. Salads are rich in fibers, which help to eliminate wastes from the body and also keep the stomach full for a longer time, thus preventing overeating and further weight gain. 15) Do you eat breakfast daily? Breakfast is the name for the very first meal of the day. The body is in a fasting state throughout the night and it is the first meal of the day to break overnight fast. During day time, the body's metabolism is higher as compared to evening and night. So it needs more energy to carry out daily chores. Breakfast provides energy to the body and other nutrients to work efficiently. It also helps to increase concentration level and memorize things easily. 16) Do you eat pizza/burger/cakes/pastries/pavbhaji/panipuri/sevpuri/cold-drinks/ biscuits/cream rolls/chips more than once a week? No food is completely good or completely bad. The more we consume processed foods which are high in salt, sugar and saturated fats; there is a higher risk of weight gain(obesity) and other lifestyle disorders like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. (Diabetes is a condition which occurs due to lack or absence of a hormone-Insulin. This hormone is secreted by the pancreas and it helps to control blood sugar levels in a normal range by storing glucose in liver &/or muscles) 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 21  Healthy food practices inculcated right from childhood lead to healthier aging during adulthood and old age. 17) Do you often take fried foods for meals? Daily consumption of fried foods like samosa, vada pav, panipuri, Shivpuri, Manchurian, bhajia, etc leads to an excess of weight gain. In addition to this, these products provide very minimal nutrients and are high in calories and fats. 18) Do you daily include at least 2 servings of any of the following dal/pulse/soya/non-veg product (fish, chicken, eggs)? The above-mentioned products are rich in proteins. Proteins play a major role in maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism. They are also important for better immunity i.e. resistance to infections. 19) Do you consume more than 2 cups of tea/coffee daily? Tea and coffee contain sugar, more the consumption of tea/coffee, the excess is the sugar in the diet. Excess of sugar/carbohydrates get converted to fats and are stored in the body leading to weight gain. Also excess of tea &/or coffee increases acidity and also leaches out calcium from bones, thus it makes bones weaker and prone to injury. 20) Do you have any of your parents or grandparents who have a history of diabetes or high blood pressure or a heart problem? Today's fast-moving lifestyle has led to the easy availability of resources, there is lack of physical activity, excessive consumption of junk food and increased stress which all contribute to changes in metabolism and it leads to lifestyle disorders like diabetes, heart disease &/or high blood pressure. If any of your parents or grandparents have this lifestyle disorder, you would be having greater chances of developing them at an early age if appropriate health measures are not followed. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 22 ACTIVITY: Divide the class into 2-3 groups. Give one raw food ingredient and ask each group to write as many names of dishes that can be prepared using that food. Complete the activity in the allotted time. Eg. Rice: Bhakri, Modak, Pulav, Idli, Dosa, Kanjee 1) Wheat: Chapati/roti, poori, malpua, wheat puffs, wheat biscuits/muffins 2) Corn: Boiled corn, corn Tikki, corn pakoda, corn soup, corn vegetable preparation 3) Ragi/Nachni: Ladoo, halwa/sheera, kheer/porridge 4) Moong dal: Halwa/sheera, khichdi, kheer/payasam, roasted moong dal 5) Milk: Curd, cheese, milkshake, tea, coffee 6) Tomato: soup, salad, gravy, tomato rice, tomato uttapam 7) Banana: milkshake, sheera, chips 8) Almond: Milkshakes, roasted almonds, almond cookies 9) Groundnut: Chikki, ladoo, chutney, salad 10) Spinach: Soup, vegetable preparation, dal palak, palak chicken, palak paratha, palak khichdi There will be more items suggested by students. This activity is done to introduce them to different foods that can be prepared from the raw foods. ACTIVITY: Divide the class into 3 groups and based on the following scenarios ask them to prepare a skit demonstrating unsafe food handling by one group and the other group will discuss measures/steps to make the food safe and hygienic. 1) A panipuri vendor on the street 2) A gola/slush vendor near School 3) Food served in a wedding party Scenario 1: Skit by group A & measures for safe food group B Scenario 2: Skit by group B & measures for safe food group C Scenario 3: Skit by group C & measures for safe food group A 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 23 B. Physical well-being and activities B.1 The Benefits of Physical Activity Introduction Regular physical activity offers a wealth of benefits, both physical and mental. It can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles and bones, and boost energy levels. Additionally, exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease. Furthermore, physical activity can enhance mood, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function, all of which are essential for academic and professional success. What is the definition of physical activity? Physical activity is not synonymous with exercise. Physical activity is the muscle movement which may be unplanned, unstructured, random, non-purposeful and performed at any intensity for different reasons. NOTE: Facilitator has to explain here that the word “may not be” in the explanation of physical activity means the physical activity can be both unplanned, unstructured, random, non-purposeful and performed at any intensity for different reasons or It can also be planned, structured, systematic, purposeful and performed at a definite intensity. Physical activity is any body movement produced by muscles by spending energy. Physical activities in the context of daily routine include - leisure time physical activity - transportation (e.g. walking or cycling) - occupational (i.e. work) 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 24 - household chores - play, games, sports or planned exercise Following are a few examples of physical activity: Walking to school, college, office, market etc Cleaning of car, Lifting grocery bags,Gardening, Dancing Ask the students to write more physical activities that they could think of. Ask each student to read one activity. This will help them to explore better ideas to remain physically active. What is exercise? Exercise is a physical activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is a planned and structured activity performed under the guidance of a trained professional only. Exercising is an individual’s choice with various reasons as follows: - To perform in sports activities - To improve strength & stamina - To develop muscles - To achieve weight loss or maintain weight - To delay aging - To improve health parameters in disease conditions like diabetes, heart problem, osteoporosis - To achieve/maintain a better mood - To socialize during outdoor activities 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 25  Physical Well-Being and Activities: An Educational Guide Maintaining physical well-being through regular physical activity is vital for students. It not only enhances their health and fitness but also boosts academic performance and fosters professional growth. This guide will cover the numerous benefits of physical activity, the need for integrating it into daily routines, and practical tips for students to incorporate it into their lives. It will also include visual aids to help understand the concepts better. Benefits of Physical Activity 1. Physical Health ○ Cardiovascular Health: Regular exercise strengthens the heart, improves blood circulation, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. ○ Weight Management: Helps maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and boosting metabolism. ○ Bone and Muscle Strength: Increases bone density and muscle strength, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and sarcopenia (muscle loss). ○ Flexibility and Balance: Enhances flexibility and balance, lowering the risk of falls and injuries. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 26  2. Mental Health ○ Stress Reduction: Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters that help reduce stress and anxiety. ○ Improved Sleep: Physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep. ○ Cognitive Function: Regular exercise boosts brain function, improving memory, concentration, and overall cognitive performance. 3. Social Benefits ○ Teamwork and Cooperation: Participating in group sports and activities fosters a sense of community, teamwork, and social interaction. ○ Self-Confidence: Achieving fitness goals can boost self-esteem and confidence. 4. Academic and Professional Growth ○ Better Concentration: Physical activity enhances focus and attention, which can lead to improved academic performance. ○ Time Management: Balancing exercise with academic responsibilities teaches effective time management skills. ○ Leadership Skills: Engaging in team sports helps develop leadership and communication skills. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 27 B.2 Components of Physical Fitness 1. Cardiovascular Endurance Activities: Running, cycling, swimming Benefits: Improves heart and lung function, increases stamina and endurance, allowing you to perform physical activities for extended periods. 2. Muscular Strength Activities: Weightlifting, resistance training Benefits: Enhances muscle mass and strength, supports joint health, and improves overall physical performance. 3. Muscular Endurance Activities: Bodyweight exercises, circuit training Benefits: Increases the ability to perform physical activities for extended periods without fatigue, improving overall endurance. 4. Flexibility Activities: Stretching, yoga, pilates Benefits: Improves range of motion, reduces the risk of injury, and enhances overall physical performance. 5. Body Composition Activities: Combination of strength training and cardio exercises Benefits: Maintains a healthy ratio of fat to muscle mass, contributing to overall health 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 28  and fitness. ACTIVITY List down a few more physical activities in old times due to which people remained healthy. Let the students complete this activity in 3 minutes and then start discussing those physical activities. Few examples are discussed below 1) In the old days, people used to go to market for purchasing households, the physical activities involved in this were - Walking/cycling - Bending down while selecting raw materials - Lifting heavy bags 2) In the old days, females used to grind spices manually in grinding stones. The various body parts involved in this activity were - Stretching of hands back and forth - Movement of the abdomen with the movement of hands - Movement of elbow HOW TO MOTIVATE TO EXERCISE Introduction: To do any activity or work regularly, self-motivation is very important for long term adherence to the activity. In today’s fast-paced world, people are too busy to invest time for regular exercise. Even if they initiate an exercise regime, very few could follow it regularly due to various challenges. However, one needs constant motivation to adhere to exercise. Any 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 29  physical activity should be enjoyable rather than a ritual to do. A positive attitude toward exercise gives a better output to achieve good health. List down all the possible excuses you could think of to skip exercise. You will get many answers as follows: Excuses for not exercising: 1) I don’t have time to exercise 2) No gym is available near my house to exercise 3) Gym fees are too expensive 4) I feel tired while exercising 5) My weight is normal, why should I exercise? 6) I don’t have any health issues to exercise daily 7) I don’t like to exercise alone 8) I am scared if I get body pain with exercise 9) I am scared of falling while exercising 10) It is so boring to exercise daily 11) I have followed various exercise regimes but still, I could not lose weight. The facilitator will discuss different ways of motivation to exercise regularly To overcome all the above excuses, one needs a constant source of motivation, so let us see how one can motivate oneself to exercise regularly. 1) Setting up goals: Every exercise activity starts with a goal. Recognize the goal and everyday remind 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 30 yourself about your set goal of exercise. It is not necessary to keep the same goal throughout. But it may change with time as you go on achieving one goal to another. Few examples of exercise goals: 1. I want to be in a better mood 2. I want to lose kg of weight in days 3. I want to keep my blood sugar/cholesterol/blood pressure under control 4. I want to complete running km in minutes The goals should be realistic. It means never exaggerating the goals which cannot be achieved in ethical ways. Eg. If one sets a goal of shedding 10Kg of weight in a month, it is not realistic to do so. One cannot follow unethical ways like excessive physical exertion, overuse of calorie burners which are not approved to lose that much weight. 2) Planning a schedule: Exercise is a planned, structured activity, so an exercise schedule should be prepared by keeping goals in mind. Decide upon which days of the week and what time you will be exercising depending upon other commitments. Then allot specific exercise activities for each day. Do a combination of exercises on different days. Break the monotony while planning the schedule. Find new forms of exercises, learn correct techniques and include only one new technique on a single day along with regular forms of exercise. Do not avoid exercise activities that you don’t like. Prepare your exercise schedule in such a way which includes a variety of activities to exercise every part of your body. Seek the help of your 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 31 fitness instructor, if possible. There are free templates of exercise planner available on various internet sites which one can use for planning your schedule. 3) Having an exercise partner: Exercising alone can be boring. Find a fitness partner who can compete with you in a healthy way and help you to learn new techniques &/or help you to correct your current exercising techniques. If you feel shy to start exercising or you are too conscious of your surroundings, you can seek moral support from your exercise partner. Not everyone is familiar with exercise equipment in the gym, you can seek your partner’s help who is already acquainted with this equipment and help you to have a basic understanding of them to get started. You can discuss your fitness goals and exercise schedule with your exercise partner. 4) Listening to favorite music: Nothing can be as enjoyable as listening to music. Most of us enjoy music to relax and rejuvenate. So just plug into your favorite music form and enjoy it while exercising. Researches have shown a positive impact of music on exercise performance. Listening to music while exercising distracts your mind from other thoughts and helps to concentrate better on physical activity. It also helps to elevate the mood which in turn delays exercise fatigue. Be safe when listening to music while exercising: · Do not use cord/wired earphones, it might cause accidental injury while exercising 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 32  · Use handsfree/Bluetooth earphones · It is safest to listen to music played on the music system in bearable sound 5) Track the progress: The best motivation to exercise is to see the successful achievement of goals.Few observations and use of basic instruments from which you can verify your fitness achievements are as follows: How much is the current weight on the weighing scale as compared to previous weight? For how much more time can you run on a treadmill? Is the weight loss in the form of inch loss or are your clothes loose on your body? How many repetitions or sets have you increased? Use a measuring tape to measure waist, hips, thighs and chest. Make a note of the measurements after a regular interval and compare the results with your set goals. Use of body fat monitor: Weight cannot be the only indicator of fitness. To check the progress with the weight loss program, it is important to analyze body fat & muscle mass at different sites using a body fat monitor. If there is significant fat loss, it indicates the weight loss program is healthy and gives a positive impact on the body. Use of body fat calipers: Using calipers, measures from different sites like biceps, triceps, abdomen, subscapular, supra-iliac etc are recorded at a regular interval in a format and compared to verify the achievement of fitness goals. There are many gadgets available in the market to track various parameters of physical activity. The gadgets and apps are economical and reliable to track the outputs &/or achievements of physical activity. Eg Sport Bands, wifi body scale, calorie management system, Fitbit, pedometer 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 33  6) No guilty feeling: In case you skip exercise for 1 or 2 days or due to illness; there is no need for feeling guilty. Sometimes you might have a hectic day and you need to relax, so the exercise may be skipped. But ensure that it does not become a habit. Resume the regular exercise schedule immediately the following day. The days you are not able to exercise, you can compensate for it by doing any other physical activity like cycling, swimming, playing sports, skipping ropes. If the gym is closed for its weekly maintenance, you can go for a walk or get involved in stretching at home or playing a sport, skipping rope, swimming etc At a certain point of time, your body might take longer to reach a set goal of physical activity, never get disheartened. You can still perform and give it a try to achieve it. Seek the help of your fitness trainer to make necessary changes in the exercise schedule. Ensure that the day you skip your exercise is not the day of binge eating. Spend less time on social media so that you can value your time by exercising and investing in health. 7) Write down: When we write down anything, we become more conscious and more responsible for carrying out a particular activity. Things which can be written down are: 1) Exercise schedule: It can be weekly or monthly Fix days for different physical activities in a week or prepare a monthly planner 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 34  Tick mark the days when you complete your physical activity. This becomes a motivational factor for you at the end of the month when you see maximum tick marks with no or very minimal skipped days of physical activity. 2) Exercise goals: Break down your goal into small, simple goals and write them down with a timeline to achieve them. Tick marks on a planner when you manage to achieve these simple goals. Noting down exercise goals and their achievements become a reference to set new exercise goals. 3) Exercise progress: Exercise progress is in terms of weight, body measures, exercise duration, exercise intensity, number of sets etc. Noting down these parameters in a tabular format, a specific interval of a fixed day in a week will give you a comprehensive picture of your progress with physical activity. One can even write down about the changes in mood or impact of exercise on mood. You can even evaluate the time of exercise and its impact on your behavior. This will help you to decide upon a best suited time to carry out the physical activity for receiving maximum benefits. 8) Search for that favorite place: It is important to exercise at a place where your body and mind both are in the most comfortable zone. This has a positive impact on your physical activity and behavior. It is not necessary to always work out in the gym, you can carry out various physical activities at different places. Some of us enjoy indoor activity whereas some enjoy outdoor activity. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 35 You can even allot different days of the week for indoor and outdoor physical activities. It is best to break monotony even in the place where you exercise. Surprise yourself by going to places and doing a physical activity where you enjoy the most. When you go to a gym there will be a specific zone in the gym or a specific instrument/equipment that you like the most and you become happy seeing that it is not occupied by any other gym-mates and you hit there. 9) Reward: After achieving your exercise goal, you can reward yourself. It is one of the ways of self- motivation. It is not necessary to reward yourself daily. But it can be fortnightly or monthly. Frequency of rewards also depends upon how motivated you are.The reward system will vary person to person depending upon your hobbies, likes and lifestyle. Eg. Buy a book which was long awaited on your list. Avoid “food” as a reward. Post pictures of your last rewards near your desk or on the fridge to get motivated constantly. This will remind you that you need to exercise daily to remain fit and there would be minimal chances of skipping exercise. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 36  ACTIVITY: After learning the ways of motivating oneself to exercise, the students will be divided into groups and they will refer to the excuses for not exercising. For each excuse that was listed in the introduction, the group has to write down how they will motivate themselves. The facilitator will divide the groups in such a way that each group will cover one excuse. Total 10 excuses and 3 solutions for each excuse to be written down. One example is given below: Excuse: I don’t have time to exercise. Solution: It is better to be late than never. If not exercise, start with a few physical activities like climbing up and down the staircase instead of taking the lift, picking a glass of water, washing the car once a week, playing with kids whenever find time etc can be started. Think which exercise (running, walking, swimming, cycling etc) you enjoy the most and start with it. Initially, start with 5 minutes of stretching followed by 10 minutes of exercise and gradually go on increasing the time. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 37 C. Practical Session C.1 Yoga Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle Science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy living. The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning "to join", "to yoke" or "to unite". According to Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness. According to modern scientists, everything in the universe is just a manifestation of the same quantum firmament. One who experiences this oneness of existence is said to be "in Yoga" and is termed as a yogi who has attained a state of freedom, referred to as Mukti, nirvāna, kaivalya or moksha. "Yoga" also refers to an inner science comprising of a variety of methods through which human beings can achieve union between the body and mind to attain self-realization. The aim of Yoga practice (sādhana) is to overcome all kinds of sufferings that lead to a sense of freedom in every walk of life with holistic health, happiness and harmony. The overall philosophy of yoga is about connecting the mind, body, and spirit. There are six branches of yoga. Each branch represents a different focus and set of characteristics. The six branches are: Hatha yoga: This is the physical and mental branch that aims to prime the body and mind. Raja yoga: This branch involves meditation and strict adherence to a series of disciplinary steps known as the eight limbs of yoga. Karma yoga: This is a path of service that aims to create a future free from negativity and selfishness. Bhakti yoga: This aims to establish the path of devotion, a positive way to channel emotions and cultivate acceptance and tolerance. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 38  Jnana yoga: This branch of yoga is about wisdom, the path of the scholar, and developing the intellect through study. Tantra yoga: This is the pathway of ritual, ceremony, or consummation of a relationship. Chakras The word “chakra” means “spinning wheel.” Yoga maintains that chakras are center points of energy, thoughts, feelings, and the physical body. According to yogic teachers, chakras determine how people experience reality through emotional reactions, desires or aversions, levels of confidence or fear, and even physical symptoms and effects. When energy becomes blocked in a chakra, it triggers physical, mental, or emotional imbalances that manifest in symptoms such as anxiety, lethargy, or poor digestion. Asanas are the many physical poses in Hatha yoga. People who practice yoga use asanas to free energy and stimulate an imbalanced chakra. There are seven major chakras, each with its own focus: Sahasrara: The crown chakra, which is at the crown of the head, symbolizes spiritual connection. Ajna: Located between the eyebrows, the third eye chakra has to do with intuition. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 39  Vishuddha: The throat chakra corresponds to immunity and verbal communication. Anahata: The heart chakra, which is in the center of the chest, influences professional and personal relationships. Any imbalances in this chakra will affect oxygen, hormones, tissue, and organ control. Manipura: The solar plexus chakra is in the stomach area. It corresponds to self-confidence, wisdom, and self-discipline. Svadhishthana: The sacral chakra, which is beneath the belly button, connects pleasure, well-being, and vitality. Muladhara: The root chakra, which is at the base of the spine, connects the mind and body to the earth to keep a person grounded. It controls the sciatic nerves and the parasympathetic nervous system. C.2 SURYA NAMASKAR Surya Namaskar is a practice which has been handed down over millennia from the wise sages of the ancient Vedic times. ‘Surya’ means sun and ‘Namaskar’ means salutation. In ancient times the sun was worshiped as a daily ritual because it is a powerful symbol of spiritual consciousness. Worship of the outer and inner sun was a religious-social ritual, which attempted to placate those forces of nature beyond man’s control. This variation of Surya Namaskar gets its name Rishikesh as it was popularized by the Swamis who resided in and around Rishikesh on the banks of the river Ganga.Rishikesh Surya Namaskar is a series of twelve physical postures. These alternating backward and forward bending postures flex and stretch the spinal column through their maximum range giving a profound stretch to the whole body. Synchronizing the breath with the movements of the body is very important. The basic breathing principle is to inhale during upward and backward bending postures and exhale during forward bending postures. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 40  1. Salutation posture 2. Raised arm posture 3. Hand to foot posture 1. Pranamasana (Salutation posture) Stand erect with feet together. Join the palms together in front of the chest. Concentrate on standing straight, steady and cultivate a prayerful attitude. This posture helps induce a state of introversion, relaxation and calmness. It activates the Anahata Chakra.Exhale fully. 2. Anjali Mudra with the back bend in Hasta Uttanasana (Raised arm posture) Inhaling stretch both arms above the head palms facing upward, arch the back and stretch the whole body. This posture stretches the chest and the abdomen and lifts Prana energy upward to the upper parts of the body propelled by inhalation. 3. Padahastasana (Hand to foot posture) Exhaling bends the body forward and down, keeping the spine straight. Avoid collapsing the chest or over rounding the upper back.Keep the legs straight and perpendicular to the 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 41 ground.The knees may be allowed to bend a little if needed. Thisposture massages the abdominal organs, especially the liver, kidneys, pancreas, adrenals, uterus and ovaries. The power of digestion increases and female disorders such as prolapse and menstrual irregularities are relieved. A good flow of blood is sent to the spinal nerves as they are stretched and toned.The hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh and calf muscles are stretched and toned. Inversion increases blood flow to the brain. Prana is channeled to the lower regions of the body propelled by exhalation 4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian posture) On your next inhalation, extend the right leg back and drop the knee to the ground. The left knee is bent and kept between the hands and the feet placed flat on the ground. Lift the spine and open the chest. Concentrate at the eyebrow center. 5. Mehruasana (Mountain posture) On the exhalation bring the left leg back to join with the right leg. Simultaneously raise the buttocks and lower the head between the arms, so that the body forms a triangle with the ground. Try to place the heels flat on the ground. Focus awareness at the neck area. This posture strengthens the nerves and muscles in the arms and legs, stretches the calf muscles and Achilles’ tendons and makes the spine straight and taut. It relieves varicose veins and tones spinal nerves. Maintaining posture takes a deep inhalation. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 42  6. Ashtanga BhumiSparsha (Posture of salutation with 8 limbs touching earth) Exhaling gently, drop both knees to the ground and slowly slide the body down at an angle as you bring the chest and chin to the ground. All eight limbs, toes, knees, chest, hands and chin - touch the ground. The buttocks are kept up. Hold your breath. This posture develops the chest and strengthens arms and sends additional blood to this area helping to rejuvenate the nerves 7. Bhujangasana (Cobra posture) On the inhalation, lower the hips while pushing the chest forward and upward with the hands, until the spine is fully arched and the head is facing up. The knees and lower abdomen remain on the ground. Focus the awareness at the base of the spine and feel the tension from the forward pull. This pose gives 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 43 dynamic expansion to the organs of the chest and abdomen, relieving many ailments such as asthma, constipation, indigestion, kidney and liver problems. It is very good to relieve tension in the back muscles and spinal nerves. 8. Mehru Asana (Mountain posture) Exhale and get back to the mountain posture as done earlier in number 5. 9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian posture) Inhale and swing the right leg forward between the hands. The left leg remains back. Resume posture as done earlier in number 4. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 44  10. Padahastasana (Hand to the foot posture) Exhaling, bring the left foot forward. Join both legs and resume posture as done earlier in number 3. 11. Anjali Mudra and back bend in the Hastha Uttana Asana (Raised arm posture) Inhale, raise the trunk up and bend backward. Resume posture as done earlier in number 2. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 45  12. Pranamasana (Salutation posture) Straighten the body and bring the hands in front of the chest. Resume posture as done earlier in number 1. Note: The above constitutes one half of a round of the Rishikesh Surya Namaskar. To complete the other half the same movements are repeated except that the left leg is brought back in posture 4 and brought forward in posture 9. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 46 So one full round consists of the 12 poses done twice in sequence. Practice 3 to 9 rounds of the Surya Namaskar daily for maximum benefit. When the exercises are done little quickly the gain is more physical and when they are done slowly with breath awareness the gain is more mental and spiritual. THE TWELVE SUN MANTRAS Mantras are potent combinations of specific sounds destined to produce a particular effect on the mind and its functioning through the body. Every year the sun passes through twelve different positions in space called zodiac in western astrology and Rashis in Hindu astrology. As the sun passes through these Rashis it displays a characteristic quality or property. So the sun has been given twelve different names to indicate these different qualities or properties. In Rishikesh Surya Namaskar the sun is saluted twelve times, each time taking one of its names. The salutation to the sun is done by chanting the sun mantras. These sun mantras are not merely names; they are special sound syllables that act as a vehicle of cosmic energy. These twelve mantras should be mentally chanted while performing the twelve postures of Rishikesh Surya Namaskar. The mantras, their meaning and significance are given below: 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 47 1. Om Mitraya Namaha (Salutation to the friend of all): The sun is regarded as a universal friend providing heat, light and energy to support all life on Earth. This Mantra is chanted in Pranamasana to express our gratitude and reverence to the source of all life. 2. Om Ravaye Namah (Salutation to the shining one who is praised by all): Ravi is the one who shines and offers divine blessings upon all life and hence is praised by all. This is chanted in the second position to signify that we are stretching our whole being upward towards that light to receive those blessings. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 48 3. Om Suryaya Namaha (Salutation to the one who guides everyone): Chanted in the third position. Surya represents the sun after sunrise when nature’s activities begin. This mantra is dedicated to this aspect of the sun who guides all the day’s activities. 4. Om Bhanave Namaha (Salutation to the one who bestows beauty and illumines): The sun is the physical symbol of the Guru who removes ignorance from our consciousness just as the sun removes the darkness of night with each dawn. In the fourth position we turn our face towards this symbol of inner illumination and pray for the end of ignorance. Real inner beauty can then manifest in all our activities. 5. Om Khagaya Namah (Salutation to the one who moves through the sky and stimulates the senses): ‘Khaga’ means the limitless sky. The sun is saluted in this name to lead us from our present limitations to the state of limitlessness. Our senses are expanded beyond the mere experiences of the earth. 6. Om Pushne Namah (Salutation to the nourisher of all life): In the sixth position as we bend down to touch the ground with eight parts of our body we offer our whole being in total surrender to the source of nourishment so that he may bestow physical, mental and spiritual strength and nourishment. 7. Om Hiranyagarbha Namaha (Salutation to the golden womb or golden germ): Hiranyagarbha means golden womb or egg. It is the original causal state from which the universe comes into existence. The sun because of its resplendent light and also because everything here on Earth originates from the sun is taken as a symbol of Hiranyagarbha and is worshiped as the symbol of great virility. 8. Om Marichaye Namaha (Salutation to the healing rays of the sun): the healing power of the sun is well known and documented below as a note on sunlight and health. 9. Om Adityaya Namah (Salutation to the son of Aditi who inspires real pure love): Love has been defined by Dr Swami Gitananda Giri as profound interest and who can be a better example of this profound interest or love for the human race than the sun itself. 10. Om Savitre Namaha (Salutation to the stimulating power of the sun that begets life): 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 49 ‘Savitre’ is said to represent the sun before rising, stimulating and arousing man into waking activity and begetting life. 11. Om Arkaya Namaha (Salutation to the one who is full of energy and inspires awe in the beholder): ‘Arka’ means energy. The sun is the source of all energy. In this eleventh position we once again stretch our whole being to receive the energy like we did in position 2. 12. Om Bhaskaraya Namah (Salutation to the effulgent one who leads to enlightenment): In this final position we offer respect to the sun as a symbol of great revealer of all transcendental and spiritual truths. VEERA ASANA-I: THE HERO’S POSTURE Take up the Samastithi position and breathe in. Breathe out and jump with your feet three to four feet apart. Breathe in and turn your right foot and your head to the right side. Breathe out and bend your right knee, creating a 90 degree angle in the space behind the knee. The knee should be directly over the ankle, and the arms should be stretched straight out from the shoulders. The torso is held erect and the chest opened up as much as possible. Hold this position, breathing deeply and counting slowly to ten. When ready, stand up by straightening your knee on the in breath. Hold in the breath, turn your right foot and your head back to the front. Turn your left foot and your head to the left side. Breathe out and bend your left knee. Hold the final position and, breathe deeply and count slowly to ten. When ready, slowly come back to the standing position on the breath. Hold in the breath and turn your left foot and your head back to the front. Breathe out, lower the arms to the side, and jump back to the Samastithi position. Relax in the Samasthiti Asana, and then perform the entire routine twice more on both sides. BENEFITS: · Stretches and tones up the muscles of the entire back, arms and legs. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 50 · Relieves stiffness of the upper and lower extremities. · Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. · Improves the sense of balance and coordination. · Helps to correct structural deformities of the spine, shoulders and upper back region. · Improves the confidence levels of the individual VEERA ASANA-II —THE HERO’S POSTURE Take up the Samastithi position and breathe in. Breathe out and jump with your feet three to four feet apart. Breathe in and turn your right foot and your head to the right side. Breathe out and bend your right knee, creating a 90 degree angle in the space behind the knee. The knee should be directly over the ankle, and the arms should be stretched straight out from the shoulders. The torso is held erect and the chest opened up as much as possible. Hold out the breath and turn your arms straight out to the sides. On the next incoming breath, stretch your arms high over the head and perform the Anjali Mudra by bringing the 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 51 palms of both hands together. Look up at your hands. Keep your left leg as straight as possible while the right knee is kept bent at the90 degree. Hold this position with deep breathing, counting slowly to ten. When ready, release the Anjali Mudra and lower your arms back down equal to the shoulders on the out breath. Hold out the breath and come back to the Veera Asana-I. Breathe in and straighten your knee, and keep standing with your arms still extended out from your shoulders. Hold in the breath and turn your head and the right foot back to the front. Turn your head and left foot to the left and repeat the whole procedure on the left side before returning to the Samastithi position. Rest in this posture before repeating twice more on the left and right sides. BENEFITS: · Stretches and tones up the muscles of the entire back, arms and legs. · Relieves stiffness of the upper and lower extremities. · Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. · Improves the sense of balance and coordination. · Helps to correct structural deformities of the spine, shoulders and upper back region. · Improves the confidence levels of the individual · Develops the mental strength that we need in order to face the battles of life with courage 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 52  VEERA ASANA-III – THE HERO’S POSTURE Take up a comfortable Samasthiti Asana. Breathe in and bring your hands together in Namaskar Mudra in front of your chest. Continue the incoming breath and bend forward while extending your hands straight to the front as if performing the Agraa Mudra. Slowly lift your left leg until your leg, torso and arms form a straight line parallel to the ground. Hold for a slow count of ten. Breathe out and lower your leg back down to the ground. Bring your hands back to the Namaskar at your chest and return to the upright position. Relax your hands back to your sides and rest a few seconds in Samasthiti Asana before performing on the opposite side. Do twice more on the right and left sides. This is also known as the EKA PADA ASANA or -the One Legged Posture. BENEFITS: · Conveys harmony, balance and power. · Helps to contract and tone the abdominal organs. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 53 · Gives agility to the body and mind. · Stretches and tones up the muscles of the entire back, arms and legs. · Relieves stiffness of the upper and lower extremities. · Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. · Improves the sense of balance and coordination. · Helps to correct structural deformities of the spine, shoulders and upper back region. · Improves the confidence levels of the individual · Recommended for runners, as it gives vigor and agility. ARDHA CHANDRASANA -THE HALF MOON POSTURE Stand in the Samasthiti Asana and breathe in. Breathe out and jump with your legs apart and arms extended straight out from your shoulders. Breathe in and turn your right foot and at the 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 54  same time your head to the right side. Breathe out and bend your right knee, as though performing Veera Asana. Continue the outgoing breath, reach down and touch the ground in front of your right foot with your right hand. Find a balance point, and on the next incoming breath, lift your left leg up as high as possible. At the same time straighten your right leg, keep your left hand on your left thigh and look up. Keep the right leg on which the entire balance rests straight, and do not bend your right or left knees. Hold for a slow count of ten and then lower your left leg back down to the ground. Return to the Veera Asana with your right knee bent and then stand up on the incoming breath. Hold in the breath, turn the right foot and the head to the front and then repeat the procedure on the left side. After performing the posture on both the right and left sides, rest in the Samasthiti Asana. Try to perform the Ardha Chandrasana twice more to get maximum benefit. BENEFITS: · Stretches and tones up the muscles of the entire back, arms and legs. · Relieves stiffness of the upper and lower extremities. · Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. · Improves the sense of balance and coordination. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 55 · Helps to correct structural deformities of the spine, shoulders and upper back region. · Improves the confidence levels of the individual · Gives agility to the body and mind. GARUDA ASANA: THE EAGLE POSTURE Stand in a steady and comfortable Samasthiti Asana. Perform the Garudasana by balancing on your right leg while bringing your left leg across and around the right so that both legs are intertwined. Now perform the Garuda Hastha Mudra by crossing your right hand over the left so as to intertwine both hands. Bring the entwined arms inward and twist them up to your face level. When ready, slowly release the foot and hand positions and come back to the Samasthiti Asana for some deep breathing and relaxation. Repeat the practice by performing it on the opposite side in order to also attain the healthy musculoskeletal benefits on that side of your body too. When ready, slowly release the foot and hand positions and come back to the Samasthiti Asana for some deep breathing and relaxation. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 56 BENEFITS: ·This practice creates a healthy circulation in the upper part of the body and massages all tissues of the neck, shoulder and upper areas of the spinal column. ·It releases unhealthy tension that tends to accumulate in the upper spinal and neck regions from sedentary desk jobs and physical inactivity. · Stretches the spinal column and produces a healthy spine and resilient back muscles. · Gives an excellent stretch to the muscles of the arms, forearms, and legs. ·Enhances the capacity of the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle joints ·Relieves stiffness of the upper and lower extremities. ·Helps to correct structural deformities of the spine, shoulders and upper back region. YOGA MUDRA ASANA: THE GESTURE OF UNION Yoga Mudra, the Gesture of Union is done from Padmasana, the Lotus Posture. There are two hand positions that may be used in this Mudra. In the first position, which is relatively simple, the right hand is used to catch the left wrist behind the back. The second position is more difficult and is done by crossing the hands behind the back so as to catch the right foot with the right hand and the left foot with the left hand. Once the hand position has been attained, the head is lifted on an in-breath and an excellent stretch given to the entire spinal column. The head is then brought down to the ground slowly on an out-breath. The forehead or chin may be placed on the ground depending on your ability and flexibility. Shallow Sukshma Pranayama or butterfly-like subtle breathing is done in the final position to attain a quiet state of psychophysical union. When ready, come back up to the sitting position on an in-breath. Slowly and carefully release the hands and then the feet and enjoy a short period of relaxation with your feet 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 57 stretched out in front. BENEFITS: ·This Mudra helps relieve abdominal disorders of many kinds and is especially useful for patients of Diabetes Mellitus as well as liver and digestive disorders. · Enhances digestion and elimination capacities. ·Gives a good stretch to the whole back and neck region and helps realign the shoulder in line with the back. ·Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the abdomen, waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. · Helps to focus the mind in the Sahasrara Chakra, the crown center. ·The Bija Mantras for all the chakras can be chanted in this posture or the Om Namah Shivaya Mantra can be used to create Chakra Awareness. PAWAN MUKTA ASANAS: THE GAS RELIEVING POSTURES Lie down in a comfortable Shavasana and start to breathe in and out for an equal count of six or eight. To perform the single legged Eka Pada Pawan Mukta Asana, bend and lift your right knee 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 58 while breathing in and simultaneously also lift your head off the ground. Catch hold of your knee with your arms and try to touch your knee to your forehead. Hold the position a few seconds and then while breathing out slowly release the position and lower your head while at the same time bringing your foot back to the ground. Repeat this at least two more times to complete a set of three rounds of the practice. Relax a few seconds in the Shavasana and then perform the practice on the left side. Relax in Savasana for a few minutes with deep and rhythmic breathing while concentrating on your abdominal area that will help to relax you further. To perform the double legged Dwi Pada Pavanamuktasana, bend and lift both your knees while breathing in. Bring them as close to your forehead as possible while simultaneously raising your head to meet the knees. Hold a few seconds and then while breathing out, lower your head and simultaneously bring your feet back to the ground. Repeat this two more times to complete a set of three rounds at each session. Relax in Savasana for a few minutes with deep and rhythmic breathing while concentrating on your abdominal area. This will help you to relax even further as the emotional tensions tend to tighten up the abdominal area leading to a feeling of “butterflies in the stomach”. BENEFITS: ·This set of supine postures is a great way to get rid of the stress and tension that tends to accumulate in the abdominal region. · They are also useful to prevent and control the various joint disorders that afflict the limbs and the abdominal organs. · Help prevent and relieve joint pains, gas troubles and abdominal problems such as indigestion and constipation. · Useful for those suffering from gas problems, constipation, diabetes and sluggish liver and kidneys. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 59 · Enhances digestion and elimination capacities. ·Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the abdomen, waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. CHAKRASANA: THE WHEEL POSTURE Lie flat on your back in Shavasana. Bend your knees and place both heels next to the respective buttock. Raise your arms up and behind you and place your palms flat on the ground underneath the respective shoulder. Rise up into Vilom Asana with the head on the ground and take a few breaths. Slowly push up with the arms and legs and extend your hips as high as possible. Continue to walk the feet and the hands toward each other and straighten the arms and push the navel up. Stay in this position for 20 to 30 seconds with normal breathing. Slowly come back to Shavasana in a step by step manner by retracing the steps of the ascent. BENEFITS: · All the benefits of the back bend exercises at its best. ·This is a great pose for “opening up” the shoulders and for increasing arm, leg and shoulder strength. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 60 ·Stretches and tones up the musculature of the entire back as well as upper and lower extremities. · Normalizes blood supply to the brain and head region and increases the blood supply to the upper part of the body. · Enhances digestion and elimination capacities. · Helps reduce the fatty accumulation around the waist and hip region thus reshaping the body structure. · Improves the sense of balance and coordination. · Helps to correct structural deformities of the spine, shoulders and upper back region · Stretches the groin and inner thigh region in a healthy manner. ·Tones the spine by stretching it fully and keeps the body alert and supple. · Gives vitality, energy and a feeling of lightness. · Useful in gynecological, hormonal and respiratory disorders 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 61 MAYUR ASANA: THE PEACOCK POSTURE Sit in Vajrasana and then kneel on the ground with your knees slightly apart. Place both your hands on the ground with your fingers pointing inwards towards your body. Bend your elbows while keeping the forearms together and place your mid area of the abdomen on your elbows. Try to get a good pressure into the abdomen with a good grip and then straighten your legs one by one until you are balanced on your hands and toes. Exhale and raise both your legs off the ground and try to get into a position where your entire body is parallel to the ground. Hold the posture for 10 to 30 seconds with light breathing. When ready, slowly come back to the starting position by reversing the ascent procedure and relax in Vajrasana for some time. With practice you can extend the time of holding the posture to obtain maximum benefits. BENEFITS: · Gives a healthy pressure to the abdominal organs and tones up the abdominal and torso musculature in a healthy manner. · Helps tone up the muscles of the arms and the entire posterior region · Redistributes fatty accumulation from the hip and lower back region. · Useful for those suffering from gas problems, constipation, diabetes and sluggish liver and kidneys. · Activates the Manipura Chakra. · Enhances digestive and eliminative capacities · Realigns the torso and lower limb in a healthy manner 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 62 PRANAYAMA SHEETALI PRANAYAMA Sit in a comfortable and straight- backed Vajra Asana. Roll the tongue into a tube by folding up the sides of the partially protruded tongue so as to form a long narrow tube resembling the beak of a bird. Pressing the lips round the tongue further narrows the passage. This gesture is called Kakachandra Mudra or the Crow’s Beak gesture. The tongue should protrude one-half to three- quarters of an inch beyond the lips. Inhale in short gulps of air, along the rolled up tongue, until the lungs are completely inflated. Perceive the cooling effect of the air as it passes through the tongue. · Allow the breath to be stopped effortlessly. · Exhale slowly through both nostrils. · Then allow the breath to be held comfortably before the next inhalation. · Repeat the cycle at least nine times. This ‘Icing Breath’ or ‘Ice Maker Breath’ brings about almost instantaneous cooling of the body, and the body’s overall cooling processes are enhanced. Sheetali Pranayama has a very good 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 63 effect upon Vata and Kapha disorders of the “wind” and “mucous”. It helps overcome a constant craving for liquids and may be of value in the treatment of diabetes SITKARI PRANAYAMA Sit in the Vajra Asana. Exhale through both nostrils. Relax the lower jaw, and slightly open the mouth, so that the tongue may be rolled into a trough- like “V”. This is called the Jihva Mudra, or Tongue Gesture. Fold the tongue backwards and press the tip of the tongue to the hard palate, leaving narrow openings on either side of the tongue. · Inhale through these side-openings with a sipping sound of “sit-sit-sit.” When the lungs are completely filled, allow the breath to be stopped with ease. Then breathe out through the nose until all breath is expelled. · A ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 can be used for the inhalation and exhalation. · You can also push the air out rapidly through both nostrils in a modified Bhastrika or Bellows Breath. · Repeat the entire cycle at least nine times at each session. · Sitkari Pranayama has both a psychical as well as physical effect. Ventilation of the mouth and nasal passages as well as airways resistance is improved. The blood stream is cooled 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 64 and higher Nadis of the subtle body are brought under control. BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA The word, ‘Bhastrika’ means bellows and this gets its name because the air is forcibly drawn in and blasted out as in a blacksmith’s bellows. Sit in the Vajra Asana. Inhale and exhale strongly and forcefully in quick succession. During inhalation the abdomen is released and during exhalation it is contracted inward. The movement should be however primarily concentrated in the lower and mid parts of the chest wall. On completion of 20 quick, vigorous, forceful expulsions take the deepest possible inhalation, hold the breath as long as possible, and apply Jalandhara and Moolabandha. Follow it up by releasing the Bandhas and deepest possible exhalation followed by the application of the Uddiyana Bandha. Then slowly inhale and rest. Do three such rounds (Garshanas) of 20 expulsions each morning and evening. Take a minute rest at the end of each round. Gradually increase the number of expulsions to 60 per minute. It removes all diseases which arise from excess Wind (Vata), Bile (Pitta) and Phlegm (Kapha). It purifies the Nadis and awakens the Kundalini. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 65  It breaks the three Granthis (psychic obstructions) –Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra during the ascent of Kundalini. SURYA BHEDANA PRANAYAMA Sit comfortably in an erect spine position such as Vajrasana Perform either the Vishnu Mudra or Nasagra Mudra Breathe in through both nostrils and perform the Jalandhara Bandha Begin the actual Surya Bhedana Pranayama by letting the breath out slowly through the left nostril only by closing the right nostril. Then inhale through the right nostril only all of the time keeping the Jalandhara Bandha and by closing the left nostril. Lock in the breath for a lengthy Kumbhaka, and then repeat the entire cycle again. Breathe out through the left and breathe in through the right nostril 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 66  A controlled rhythm of 4 x 16 x 8 is to be recommended, but a competent student of Pranayama may undertake more lengthy periods of time with regular and dedicated practice (Abhyasa). The entire technique should be learned first- hand from a Guru skilled in the Yoga science of Pranayama. Surya Bhedana is one of the early practices to condition a Yogi to the more strenuous and exacting Laya Yoga Pranayamas. Perform the Pranayama for nine rounds in the beginning and then slowly increase the number of rounds in multiples of 9. This excellent Surya Bhedana cleanses the forehead (frontal sinuses), destroys the disorders of Vata, and removes the worms, and, therefore, it should be performed again and again. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 67 D. Healthy Routine and Habit Tracker HEALTHY ROUTINE The routine of an individual is a sum of all the activities carried out on an entire day on a daily basis. Every individual has a different routine depending upon the tasks to be accomplished in the entire day. The routine of the same person may also change daily. A person has a different routine on working days than on holidays. The habits followed over the years reflect into your day to day activities and they become part of the daily routine. Healthy routine reflects good physical and mental health. Health is an integrated effort to maintain &/or achieve physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 68 Important factors which contribute to good health: 1) Balanced diet 2) Physical activity 3) adequate sleep 4) Meditation/ relaxation 5) Sunlight 6) Positive attitude There is no ideal healthy routine that suits everyone. But one has to strive hard to make your own choices to improve the quality of life and set a healthy routine. D.1 Guidelines to follow a healthy routine: 1)Write down your current routine 2)First figure out habits which require small changes 3)Decide upon action(s) to change the habit or inculcate the new practice 4)Go slow: Only one new change in a day. This will increase consistency with the practice. 5)Figure out habits that require various changes to be made in the routine 6)Break those changes and implement one by one 7)Check for the consistency 8)Pen down the routine regularly to observe the shift towards a healthy routine 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 69 The facilitator will explain each of the factor contributing to good health in detail as follows: Few habits which can be practiced to follow a healthy routine: 1)Balanced diet: (a)Never skip breakfast. Breakfast makes you alert at the start of the day and increases productivity related to studies or profession. (b)Eat small meals every 3 hours. Breakfast should be large like a King’, lunch should be like a Prince and dinner should be like a meager. (c)Eat natural foods as much as possible. It is best to avoid processed foods which are loaded with preservatives and other chemicals to impart taste. (d)Eat fruits and salads daily. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with fibers and anti- oxidants which help to detoxify the body. (e)Follow meal timings and do not skip any meal. If meals are skipped, one tends to overeat in the next meal or resort to junk food to satisfy hunger. These trigger acidity and indigestion. (f)Avoid junk foods like pizza, pasta, vada pav, burger, samosa etc. These foods are high in calories, fats and provide no beneficial nutrients. You can replace them with nuts, lean meat, milk, curd, fruits etc or they can be prepared at home with healthy food choices. (g)Drink 8-10 glasses of water. (1 glass = 300ml) (h)Take food on the plate only as much as your body can digest, neither waste it nor overeat. (i)Include a variety of foods in your diet to receive different nutrients. (j)Restrict tea/coffee to only 1-2 cups a day. (k)Avoid alcohol and smoking, both are injurious to health. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 70 (l)Follow a practice of reading food labels for its nutrients before purchasing. Check for expiry too. (m)Never take any products from the market claiming for faster weight loss or better fitness. (n)For any query related to food, consult only to a qualified Nutritionist/ Dietitian. 2)Physical activity: (a)Help yourself. Climb steps instead of taking lift, lift grocery bags instead of using a trolley to carry them, play outdoor games with kids instead of watching TV or mobile or going to the mall, pick up a glass of water for drinking on your own rather than asking others for it. (b)Don’t excuse exercise for time. Walk at least for 30-45 minutes daily. (c)Apart from walking, you can also get involved in swimming, dancing, running, doing Zumba or aerobic dance, whatever activity you enjoy. (d)Stretching for 7-8 minutes before exercise is a must. (e)Consult a qualified fitness trainer to plan your exercise schedule. Involve a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises in a week. (f)If you are sick, take sufficient rest. (g)Keep yourself well hydrated during physical activity. (h)Do not take any nutritional supplement without a qualified medical practitioner’s &/or Nutritionist’s advice. 3)Adequate sleep: (a)Complete 6-7 hours of undisturbed sleep. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 71 (b)Do not use mobile phones, social media or any other electronic gadgets 30 minutes before your sleeping time. (c)Relax before going to bed by breathing deeply or by listening to soothing music. (d)Do not drink too much water at bedtime which disturbs your sleep. (e)Read a book that you enjoy the most just before you go to bed. 4)Meditation/ relaxation: (a)Give at least 10 minutes daily for yourself. (b)Concentrate on breathing, take deep breaths, chant Om in the morning. (c)Sit quietly on a mat on the floor, concentrate on your breathing, if it needs to be corrected, seek proper guidance. 5)Sunlight: (a)Take a walk in the morning before 9am to get a better exposure to sunlight which is not too bright to the skin. (b)Expose your skin to the Sun at least for 10 minutes daily to activate vitamin D in the body. (c)To save on time, exercises like running, walking, jogging, cycling, swimming can also be done in sunlight before 9am where one can achieve 2 aims; one is to do physical activity and the other is to make bones healthy with sunlight. (d)Go for your pet walk in the sunlight. 6)Positive attitude: (a)It is best to let go. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 72 (b)When you feel stressed or feel that you had a bad day; relax and breathe deeply and slowly. (c)Spend some time with nature. (d)Start nurturing your hobbies. (e)Read a book/novel which you enjoy the most or which is in your “to read list”. (f)Music and dance are the best therapies to have a positive approach towards life, follow whichever you enjoy doing the most. (g)If you are depressed very often, visit a psychological counselor to seek help. D.2 HABIT TRACKER Habits are behaviors that one repeats over and over again. It starts with the consistency in any behavior. Habit occurs subconsciously without stressing upon the brain to do it. Physical activity becomes a habit when the individual is self-motivated and prioritizes exercise not just for good abs or muscular strength but for overall well being. Health is the state of wellbeing of body, mind and spirit. It is not just the absence of disease. (World Health Organization) It is important to sync body, mind and spirit together by inculcating certain practices and making them a habit to live a quality life. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 73  The facilitator will talk about the following steps given: To make physical activity as a habit, we can take the following steps to do it: 1) Keep it simple: An individual who lives a sedentary lifestyle can at least start with simple things to be physically active like taking steps to office/home instead of an elevator, getting down one stop before the destination and walking to reach the destination, doing chair exercises or stretching exercises 2) Start with it There is a proverb “tomorrow never comes”. Start from now if you really want to do it. 3) Do it regularly Once you start with it, it is important to do it regularly. 4) Focus on the regularity 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 74 Track the regularity of the activity, what time you do the activity and for how long you can manage to do it. Focus on your mind and body and note down at regular intervals. 5) Check out for the result Study and analyze the output of the regular physical activity. Adhere to it. 6) Make it advanced It takes an average of 66 days with a range of 18-254 days to make a habit of behavior. Once the simple physical activities complete more than 2 months, move on to the next step to make it advanced. 7) Do it regularly Do the exercise regularly and record the frequency and progress. 8) Focus on the adherence Get self-motivated to adhere to activity and focus on it. 9) Check out for results Study and analyze the physical activity to achieve set goals of exercising and reward yourself on achieving the desired results. ACTIVITY List down at least 10 good habits that you follow or would like to follow and explain what efforts you will take to practice them. The above activity can be done by using the module on basic nutrition and physical fitness. Divide the students into the group. Ask each group to list 1 good habit the group unanimously wants to follow and the efforts that they will be putting in. Discuss in the class. The facilitator will discuss the habit tracker as follows: 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 75  What is a habit tracker? As the name suggests, it is a simple and effective way of making a behavior into a habit that one wants to follow. It is a format to record whether a habit has been carried out on a particular day or in a week or a month. The basic design of a habit tracker is a calendar in which one can tick on the days after doing an activity. In the above calendar, there is only 1 activity which needs to be concentrated upon. In this format, you can mention “Exercise” as an activity and mention the month. The days you complete your 30- 45 minutes of exercise, you have to tick marks in the respective date’s 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 76  square. The calendar habit tracker is just a basic one which covers only one activity, there are various templates available on the internet or you can prepare your own depending upon which activities one wants to cover and frequency of those activities. Benefits of habit tracker: 1) Acts a reminder: Habit tracker is usually displayed at a place which is easy to view. Every time we see it, it becomes a reminder for one to carry out the activity. Tracking a habit helps to imbibe the need for change. 2) Analysis and understanding of pattern: At the end of the month, when one observes the tracker, it can be analyzed whether the activity was skipped on particular days. If it is so, then the reason to skip/miss the activity could be found and preventive action can be taken. Remember “Missing once is an accident, missing twice is the start of a new habit”- James Clear. If the activity is skipped/missed for more than twice by the middle of the month, one becomes more conscious and puts in efforts not to miss the activity for the rest of the days. 3) Progress report: The maximum number of tick marks in a month is an indicator of progress with the habit of exercising/ carrying out a particular activity. With upward progress better results are achieved. 4) Reward: Habit tracker acts as a tool for motivation and reward. It feels great to see maximum tick marks in a month with no or very minimal skipped days. This motivates the individual to carry out the activity for further days. 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 77 The facilitator will explain to the students how to prepare habit tracker: 1) List down the habits to be tracked: Decide on what habits you would like to mention in your habit tracker and list them down. Eg Watering plants, meditation after waking up in the morning, stretching exercise, walking staircase up while coming home from office, playing with kids in park, washing car, taking pet to the garden, walking on treadmill, cycling, weight training, lifting grocery bags, cleaning wardrobe, drinking 10 glasses of water, concentrate on breathing before going to bed, eating a fruit, eating leafy vegetable, eating vada pav, cold drinks, 2) Classification of habits: There will be habits which are expected to be done at different frequencies like daily, weekly, monthly. While preparing a habit tracker, put all the habits to be done daily on top followed by weekly habits and then monthly habits. - Eg Daily habits: Watering plants meditation after waking up in the morning stretching exercise walking staircase up while coming home from the office drinking 10 glasses of water concentrate on breathing before going to bed eating a fruit Weekly habits: playing with kids in the park washing car 2024-27 Indian Knowledge System - Yoga 78 taking the pet to the garden walking on treadmill cycling weight training eating leafy vegetable Monthly habits: lifting grocery bags cleaning wardrobe eating vada pav cold drinks 3) Formulating a habit tracker: Select a suitable habit tracker from free templates available on the internet or you can prepare your own using an excel sheet. List down the habits in the order of daily, weekly and monthly. A sample of habit tracker has been given on the next page for 15 days. You can prepare for 1 month in excel on a computer or on your mobile phone and use it. 4) The habit of tracking: Habit tracker becomes effective only if one enters the remark or tick marks immediately after completing the habit on a particular day. It needs a regular habit of tracking. At the end of the month, you can analyze your progress using the tracker. 2024-27 I