De-stress, detoxify, relax and rejuvenate

You are part of the most successful society in history, living like ancient kings in a modern world. Why is it that you are still dying of cancer, heart failure and a vast spectrum of chronic diseases?

 If you are not healthy, it doesn’t matter how successful or wealthy you are, as you will be unable to enjoy the fruits of your labour with your loved ones and with the rest of the world.

I offer you the following suggestions and reflections to help you regain this precious balance in your life.

1.Success in business is only one kind of grade or achievement in life, while success in living is another. Focus on experiencing the richness in life, and material riches will surely follow.

2.Moderation or balance in life is the universal truth born of the middle path of our yogic tradition. This philosophy has been embraced successfully by the West, and is often referred to as The American Way—work hard, have fun.

3.Strive for balance in living your life by enjoying time with your family, friends and loved ones. Your successes become real when shared with them.

4.Every person may not be able to spend 4 hours every day working out in a gym. Even if you could, by tightening your muscles and impacting your joints, you will usually gain only 5 per cent benefit while destroying 95 per cent of your body.

5.Yoga is the only subject in the world where you are the object. The process is natural, scientific and proven: an 80-year-old yogi is usually in better physical condition than a 20-year-old athlete.

6.Top university studies maintain that practising Hatha yoga regularly can help cure and prevent chronic diseases, considerably reduce stress levels and maintain youth by actively slowing the ageing process.

7.Something is better than nothing. If you lack the resources to participate in an organised Hatha yoga curriculum, locate a copy of my Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class or Bikram Yoga books and start practising on your own.

8.Use your free time on weekends to balance the hectic schedule of your working week. Play a little golf, see a film, read a book, eat some good food, take a walk in the open air and relax.

9.Addiction to material wealth is a disease of the ego. Always wanting more, more and more, the ego never knows when, where or how to stop. Whenever you remember, pause to take a deep breath and appreciate all that you already have.

10.The business of yoga grossed over $100 billion (Rs 4,00,000 crore) worldwide last year alone. How much of this did India receive? Material gain from a worthy pursuit is simply the icing on the cake.

Having something doesn't mean anything if you don?ft know how to use it and enjoy it, my friend. Money, though useful, can never buy time. In the limited number of days you have, share and spend your time wisely.

I truly hope that these words inspire you to relax, rejuvenate, de-stress and detoxify your life. Remember, it's never too late; you?fre never too bad, never too old and never too sick to start from scratch once again. See you in yoga class.

(Bikram Choudhury is a US-based yoga guru, most famous for his brand of 'Bikram Yoga')