There seems to be no end in sight to mass, (media-led) hysteria surrounding swine flu. So it’s not our intention, in any way, to add to the atmosphere of panic already circulating.
However, yogis may be interested in a couple of stories last week about … you guessed it: Yoga and swine flu.
The context being, that prevention is always, always better than cure, and the Yoga lifestyle teaches that building a strong body and immune system may well help to ward off nasty viruses and illnesses such as this one.
As a piece in www.healthandYoga.com sensibly points out, viruses don’t cause the disease immediately; they breed using our defenses weakened by unhealthy, over-hectic lifestyles and often under-nourished bodies.
On a more specific level, cleansing techniques have always been an important (but not widespread, at least in the west) aspect of Yoga: the most accessible probably being the nasal cleansing technique of Neti.
Others, such as Nauli, are believed to boost the flow of life force and stimulate the digestive system. (Click here for a separate guide to other yogic cleansing techniques).
The message is simple: no-one can totally safeguard against becoming unwell, but in times like these, looking after our bodies – and minds, as the two cannot be separated – is more crucial than ever.
Reprinted from Yoga-Abode
http://www.Yoga-abode.com/blog/Yoga_swine_flu
By Lucia Cockcroft, editor
