Yoga is a spiritual science originated in India by ancient Indian sages. Yoga is a system of holistic living with its deep roots in the tradition and culture of India. Yogic literature has been found in almost all the ancient scriptures. Rich sources of Yoga have also been found in Medieval, Modern and Contemporary literature. Yogasutras of Patanjali (400 BC) is believed to be the first systematic text. Patanjali gave the eight fold path of Yoga, popularly known as Ashtanga Yoga. This Ashtanga Yoga takes care of all the aspects of a person.

Benefits of Yoga

• Yoga is a drugless system of healing, health care and healthy living. It has its own concepts and principles regarding health and disease.
• Yogic practices lead to promotion of health, prevention of disease, effective management of psychosomatic disorders as well as better understanding of a higher level of consciousness.
• Non-communicable diseases i.e. Coronary Artery Disease, Hypertension and others can be very well prevented and managed effectively by incorporating the principles of Yoga as a lifestyle programme in daily life.
• Yoga is a way of developing inner skills and levels of confidence beside other benefits.

Yoga and the Youth

• The youth are facing a lot of challenges in their life whether related to studies or related to employment. Yoga can transform them into a real Yogi- dealing efficiently with day to day challenges.
• India is a large country with more than 125 crore population and the dpment of the country mostly depends upon its health. If the health of the country is good and robust, the country can run to a long distance without any feeling of tiredness.
• The theory of youth empowerment can be broken down into three components:
  1. Individual Empowerment
     Youth or adults developing skills to exert control and improve competence, as well as developing critical awareness to effectively collaborate for the betterment of organizations and communities.
  2. Organizational Empowerment
     Entities that provide and benefit from, the opportunity for youth or adults to acquire the skills needed to gain control over their lives, provide alternatives to service provision, as well as entities that develop and influence policy decisions.
  3. Community Empowerment
     Efforts to improve the community, respond to threats to quality of life, and provide for citizen participation at the local, state and national level.

Common Health Issues affecting Youth

• The problems faced by the youth are not only social and economical but also psychological.
• Bound by relationships and painful loneliness, they get tempted by drugs and alcohol.
• The other major issues are: peer pressure, family liabilities, and workload. Due to shortage/lack of proper counselling/care the youngsters tend to end their life.

Common Problems

• Overweight and Obesity
  Stress
• Anxiety and Depression
• Interpersonal violence among youth
• Suicide Tendencies
• Tobacco Use
• Alcohol and Drug Addiction
• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

Concluding Remarks

Yoga helps one to reconnect with oneself. Slowing down, calming our minds, and connecting with our inner selves help to bring the person into the present moment. This can ultimately help to relieve one from the pressures and stressors of the busy world and helps to prevent the NCD’s.