Blog Post
Connectivity is the basis of human nature. We are designed to socialise and make connections. But due to the ongoing pandemic, connectivity has taken a whole new turn. Connectivity in the contemporary world means staying at your home and engaging with people virtually from all around the world. While that has its own benefits, this state of hyperconnectivity has led us to disconnect with our inner selves.
Our screen time has significantly increased, from working from home to watching youtube cooking tutorials, we are now spending more and more time in virtual reality by connecting on our phones while completely disconnecting from ourselves and nature.
There is no dearth of evidence that proves that too much online engagement is taking a heavy toll on our mental and physical health. A huge chunk of our daily life is being spent on trying to earn more and consume more.
In this race of achieving and collecting more and more, we often forget to put down the things we have collected and just enjoy life as it is. Due to this, mental illnesses and emotional disorders have become quite common today, even in small children. In this game of acquiring material wealth, we are losing mental health.
The purpose of this blog is to remind you to take a pause and just sit with yourself, at least for 10 minutes a day, and try to connect with your inner self.
“Disconnect to connect.”
But we are aware that it is easier said than done. It takes an immense amount of practice and dedication to take charge of your mental and spiritual health. Hence, it becomes essential to have a daily practice of bonding with yourself that will help you lead a healthier and balanced life. On the occasion of the International Day of Yoga, we bring you a vital dose of spirituality while reminding you to take charge of your mind and body’s health.
One way of getting in tune with everything is YOGA. Yoga has become widely popular in recent years. Wherever you go, you will find a yoga or meditation studio. Although western countries have now created their own versions of yoga by adding props and animals(yep, goats) into the scenario, India has been doing yogic practices for millennia in its traditional form.
To keep your daily stress at bay, The Brand Called You has brought you a few individuals from the spiritual world who share their experiences of staying in touch with nature and yourself.
There are innumerable benefits of performing yoga kriyas, from stabilizing your system to making it less susceptible to outside influences. We bring you Gyandev McCord Ji who talks to us about the essence of classical yoga.
Gyandev Ji is the Director of Ananda Yoga worldwide, Ananda Yoga Teacher Training, and Ananda School of Yoga & Meditation (USA). He is an appropriate example of how modern life causes you damage. Despite having everything in life, a good job, and a good home, Gyandev Ji was not happy in his life. Many years ago, his search for happiness and meaning brought him to his guru Paramahansa Yogananda Ji and he never turned back to his previous life.
Yoga is now widely associated with back-breaking poses and Gyandev Ji busts all our myths about yoga and discusses why it is not being talked about in its full depth in today’s world. He explains that attaining consciousness through meditation and kriya yoga is the true essence of yoga.
People are more outwardly focused, hence Yoga has also become a body-related thing in today’s world, but the main focus of yoga should be looking inside yourself. Gyandev Ji shares his wisdom on how yoga helps one in discovering themselves, attaining everlasting happiness, and raising consciousness. It also helps clear the focus of one’s mind.
But you must be wondering if yoga was the only way to attain higher consciousness. In another episode of The Brand Called You, we feature a Shaman Breathwork Facilitator, Walid Aboulnaga. Walid is an adventurer and ordained a shamanic minister and he talks to us about the benefits of shamanic breathwork while explaining how one can reach a higher state of consciousness by practicing that.
In western spirituality, Shamans have used chanting, breathing, music, and drumming techniques to go into a trance state to connect with the divine for thousands of years. They connect with nature and the higher consciousness. Walid explains that one can heal himself with these practices and can achieve anything he wants by setting the right intention.
“We are all one, one in terms of, we’re connected with the rivers, the animals, the plants, the stars, and that philosophy is not easy to understand with people and a shaman by definition is he or she who sees in the dark.”
To conclude, we all lead busy lives and overlook the fact that human beings are a part of nature and actual life runs through our bodies. Modern life has pushed us to forsake our true nature and accept virtual reality as a way to be.
It all points to an unhealthy and unbalanced way of living. Spiritual practices, if done with a certified teacher can give you immense health benefits and can help you connect with your true self.
Tune in to our YouTube channel to watch the mentioned interviews.
