What do you call a yoga guru who eventually succumbs to heart attack? An ignorant fool who’s been performing mythical yoga for decades? Is yoga then not some kind of trashy art form that has millions of people duped into practicing it? A perplexed reader posted this question in Yahoo! Answers [quoted in full]:
Recently Sri Vedathri Maharishi, who founded ‘World Community Service Center’ passed away due to Heart Attack at the age of 96. He preached and practiced Yoga throughout his life. He established 300 Yoga Centers all over the world. He wrote 80 books on Yoga out of which many became Text Books for Universities and Colleges. How come a person who practiced Yoga throughout his life can die due to Heart Attack like a common man? If Yoga has real effect on those who practice it, should the practitioners not die naturally? Similarly, recently I read about Sri Subbudu (the famous Carnatic Music Critic from India) who is also above 90 and who has also been practicing Yoga since his childhood, that he suffered a Heart Attack. I request Yoga Experts and Doctors who have knowledge on this to explain. I may be wrong. If Yoga Experts and practitioners feel offended by this question, I’m sorry about it. No offense involved. I’m just trying to find out the truth.
Heck, if you look at the age Maharishi and Subbudu kicked the bucket, whether due to heart attack, or failure of other organs, I believe yoga did them a lot of good. How many of us city-dwelling, smog-inhaling folks can claim to be able to live until 90 anyway?
Here’s a great response to the question, and I shall also quote in full:
If yoga is the key to living to be 96 years old then I’m all for it. However, yoga is all about what you make of it. Every class is a unique experience based on what you want from the class, how much you can focus and how hard you wish to push your body. Now, as for the heart attack issue, yoga helps to relieve stress through rhythmic breathing techniques and physical exercise. Stress, for example, has been scientifically demonstrated to CONTRIBUTE, not cause, heart disease. If yoga can alleviate that, then the benefits, or potential benefits are immediately obvious. Yoga will not make you live forever and everyone is different. Genetics play a huge role. Perfectly healthy people die all the time simply because their bodies were making too much cholesterol. Diet and exercise could not save these people. Essentially, the example of the 96 year old yogi is much like saying that yoga can make you a blond when you were originally a brunette. Genetic predisposition can not be changed, but the risk can be minimized, for example with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
For reference, I have been an athlete all my life and still play soccer and practice martial arts as well as lift weights 3 times per week. However, few workouts are as intense and as beneficial as my yoga sessions (2 per week). I suggest you participate in a few classes. You may be surprised. I am a doctor of biochemistry. Not exactly a medical doctor but I have a pretty good understanding of the body’s workings.
To summarize, no, yoga is not a myth. I have seen many benefits from its practice including significant relief of my chronic asthma and migraine headaches. However, everyone is different and every yoga session unique.
Long live yoga! (every pun intended). And how is yoga like vodka? You’ll be amazed at the similarities.
by Peter Kua, Radicalhop.com - Thinking Unartificially
Related links:
7 Super Benefits of Yoga
