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Cyclic meditation to contain work related stress, Dr Nagendra
Geopolitics

Cyclic meditation to contain work-related stress, Dr Nagendra

by Editor's Desk
written by Editor's Desk

Aditya Vaibhav |  The TrickyScribe: Yoga is a physical, mental and practice originated in India. It comprises of eight main segments including Yam, Niyam, Asan, Pranayam, Pratyahar, Dharna, Dhyan and Samadhi. One can access health and happiness with ancient yet little-known yoga practices that tap into the healing power of nature.

Scientific research validates what many of us know from personal experience that spending time in nature is healing. Muscular tension, pain, increased heartbeat and increased blood pressure—all symptoms of stress—fade or decrease with exposure to nature.

ALSO READ: MERE RESTRICTING DEFORESTATION WON’T HELP, REVERSING IT WILL

Simultaneously, there have been increasingly more studies focused on the benefits and effects of yoga. Some recent studies highlight miraculous results of Yoga on conditions including chronic low back pain and reducing inflammation in the body, which can help stave off chronic disease. Whether for physical, mental, or emotional conditions, even western medicine is verifying what Yogis have been teaching for ages. With so much evidence supporting the benefits of both yoga and nature, cannot they be combined for an ultra-healing experience?

Celebrated annually on 21 June since its inception in 2015, International Day for Yoga was declared unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Indian PM Narendra Damodardas Modi in his UN address suggested the date of 21 June, also the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, shares a special significance in many parts of the world. While PM Modi joined International Yoga Day celebrations from Ranchi, The TrickyScribe reached out to Chancellor, S-VYASA; Chairman, Advisory Committee, World Assembly on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy; Chairman, International Day of Yoga Experts Committee, Taskforce of AYUSH (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) and SAC of Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, Government of India, Dr HR Nagendra.

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Dr Nagendra is a mechanical engineer-turned-Yoga therapist, academic, writer and Founder Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA), Bengaluru. He is a recipient of Yoga Shri title from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and has authored 35 books & 100-plus research papers on Yoga. Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2016 for his contributions to the mental and physical well-being of the society. Dr Nagendra believes that both nature and divinity dwell within us and Yogic lifestyle can help us to live in harmony with Nature. Excerpts:

Aditya: First things first! Everybody is talking about ensuring sustainability in different walks of society. Can Yogic Lifestyle lead us to a sustainable future?

Dr Nagendra: The outer world today is facing environmental degradation and simultaneously the inner world is in turmoil leading to ailments. World needs Yoga. It can be that elusive unifying and ameliorating panacea that the world needs to survive in harmony with nature and give each individual the strength and conviction to leading meaningful lives. We cannot be alive if the world is dead.

Swami Vivekananda said “Nature is homogeneous. Differentiation is in manifestation. The Sanskrit word for nature is Prakriti and means literally differentiation. All is one substance, but it is manifested variously”. Nature and divinity reside within us. Yogic lifestyle can help us to live in harmony with Nature.

Aditya: From mechanical engineering to Yoga. How?

Dr Nagendra: In search of truth, I must say. Upanishads gave me the direction to move forward from mechanical engineering to human engineering. I used Yoga as a tool for my transformation. I did a lot of studies in Sanskrit, Shat darshanas and all our ancient scriptures to understand the Journey led by ancient Yoga masters and spiritual saints. I did Yoga practices mainly meditation to get to higher states of consciousness to prove for myself the secrets contained in these teachings.

I learnt many other practices through Yoga masters as BKS Iyengar, Dr Bhole, Janardan Swamiji, Swami Ranganathanandaji, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, to name a few. Then the intensive training from Eknath Ranade the founder of Rock memorial and Vivekananda Kendra in fathoming organisation techniques to rebuild India on the right lines as propounded by Swami Vivekananda; Swamiji became the role model for me. I continued my journey as a sadhak to fathom more and more secrets of this vast ocean of Yoga and spiritual world. I know that what I know is a drop of water in the ocean of Yoga.

Aditya: Being age old technique, what drives people to Yoga?

Dr Nagendra: Yoga is amenable to modern scientific research and is not just blind belief. Yoga practices help in bringing balance at all levels.  It is a holistic science that strikes a balance between your body, mind and soul.

The need is to promote so that Yoga reaches every person and becomes a way of life. A lot is happening in India to propagate Yoga. Among many one such example is World Assembly on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy (November 7-10th, 2019) scheduled to be organised in Greater Noida, India. WAAYN aims at unearthing the treasure of ancient knowledge and combine it with modern day advancement to benefit mankind.

Aditya: How effective are Yoga and Ayurveda therapies as compared to other contemporary medical techniques in vogue?

Dr Nagendra: Their efficacy as an age old system is well known, but it has to be proven by modern scientific research for acceptability in the era of science and technology in the modern world. We have therefore taken to examine Yoga and its usefulness by scientific research and produced nearly 600 research papers published in national and international journals of repute. We have just started Ayurveda research over the last 3 years.

Aditya: Can Cyclic Meditation be effective in curtailing work stress? If yes, how?

Dr Nagendra: If a person sleeps for 6 hours comfortably, the MR decreases by 9%. With 35 minutes of Cyclic Meditation, it reduces by 32% and all benefits accrue. Cyclic meditation includes adopting a combination of stimulation – relaxation combined with simple Asana combinations to grow to greater heights. It is very easy to practice by one and all. It is extremely useful to go deeper in their practices.

Aditya: Can Yoga be used to counter lifestyle disorders including diabetes and blood pressure? Can it replace medication?

Dr Nagendra: Yoga Therapy for some non-communicable diseases has shown that medication can be also reduced and stopped if Yoga is practiced regularly. Yoga helps in preservation and facilitation of health. It has the power even to treat some fatal diseases. At Prashanti Kutiram, we use cyclic meditation to alleviate occupational stress and treat diseases like asthma, cancer and psychiatric illnesses. We have been successful in helping people reduce their medications or stop them entirely. Modern medical system deal with the body whereas, the root cause is in the mind.

Aditya: How to start in case one is interested in taking up Yoga as a career elective? How much remuneration one must expect in such cases?

Dr Nagendra: Start with a practice of yoga protocol set up for International Day of Yoga. They can become Yoga Instructors and after that many earn not less than about Rs 30000 per month; in some wellness centers they are paid about Rs 10,000 to 15000 per month. One has both employment opportunities as well as the scope of job creation in case of being well-versed in Yoga techniques.

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Climbers perish as they eye Mt Everest
Geopolitics

Climbers perish as they eye Mt Everest

by Staff Correspondent
written by Staff Correspondent

Ramesh Pokhrel | The TrickyScribe: Nepal Department of Tourism issued a record 381 permits to mountaineers willing to scale Mt Everest this time while climbers got three weather-windows to push for Sagarmatha between May 16 and 27 after a team of climbing Sherpas opened route to the summit on May 14. Not less than 200 climbers had to wait for nearly two hours in queues at bottlenecks on their way to the summit on May 22. Climbers, however, who died were not stuck in the jam, climbing guides told The TrickyScribe in Kathmandu.

AILING CLIMBERS

Indian climber, Anjali Kulkarni, died below the balcony area after she got sick while heading to the summit, Gyaljen Sherpa, who guided the 54-year-old climber, said. “She couldn’t even reach the jam area,” he said, adding that she had refused to abandon her summit push as she claimed she had invested the past decade’s earnings to make it to the summit this season.

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Indian climber Kalpana Das was guided by Gelbu Sherpa and Pemba Chhiri Sherpa on Mt Everest this season. “We had time and again requested her to abandon the summit push after she couldn’t move above the balcony area,” Gelbu said. “It took her more than 18 hours to reach the summit from Camp IV.” There was no congestion when she reached above the South Col, he added. Das, who complained of weakness, succumbed near the balcony area on the descent.

Other climbers, including Irish professor Seamus Lawless, Indian climber Ravi Thakar, National Mountain Guide Dhurba Bista, British climber Robin Fisher and Colorado attorney Christopher Kulish died on days when there was no rush on Mt Everest.

NEPALESE AUTHORITIES SAVING FACE

Nepal’s tourism board is defending the number of permits it issued to climb Mt Everest for this season in which several climbers have died. Authorities claim they have no plans to restrict the number of permits the next year. They hope to attract still more tourists and climbers. The image of a crowded Everest linked to the death toll was spurred by a viral photo last week that showed climbers in their neon gear, packed in a tight, unforgiving queue to the highest point on Earth.

“There has been concern about the number of climbers on Mt Everest, but it is not because of the traffic jam that there were casualties,” said a high ranking official pleading anonymity. He pointed to weather conditions, insufficient oxygen supplies and equipment instead.

Gyanendra Shrestha, a liaison officer, who spent nearly a month at the base camp this season, also said that no one died due to traffic jam this season. Traffic jam often occurs every season, said Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, an international mountain guide who was on Mt Everest this season.

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WATER FOR ALL: NO ONE TO BE LEFT BEHIND
Geopolitics

WATER FOR ALL: NO ONE TO BE LEFT BEHIND

by Staff Correspondent
written by Staff Correspondent

Ashish Saurabh | The TrickyScribe:  Water, according to leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm Goldman Sachs, is the ‘petroleum of the next century’ and is one of the most immediate prerequisites for the survival of the humanity, has been the cradle for civilizations since time immemorial.

Disputes around the issue of water are too numerous to be encapsulated here. Be it Indus or Cauvery. Issue remains the same. No exceptions! The intermittent water disputes, plaguing the sub-continent, need to be addressed in a comprehensive way; at the earliest.

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Latest spike, however, in the number of water dispute in the South Asian sub-continent is a reflection of larger global trend that is casting its shadow on the hitherto water sufficient region of the globe. With India threatening Pakistan for using the share of Indus water that ‘rightfully belongs to India’; the domestic water war has plagued India itself for too long.

In India, the federal fabric happens to be under severe strains owing to surge in the number of inter-state water disputes. Many of the disputes that surfaced recently have a long duree, nonetheless, the intense passion and jingoism that was put on show is alarming. The larger issue, however, is still to be framed in the debate, the issue of water intensive lifestyle.

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Modern day technology has been a transformative experience in Anthropocene. The tremendous impact has affected us in many ways. Right from our daily chores to agriculture, we have been adding many ways to enrich our water intensive lifestyle.

Sugarcane, for an example, was grown in areas that had high water supply. Blessed with irrigation facilities, areas that were hitherto water deficient have started growing the water intensive crop, thereby increasing the water appetite for the region.

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From car washes to frequent flushes in restrooms, we have been wasting waters in numerously creative ways which our forefathers didn’t. It is not to say that these habits are to be forbidden but to mark that our water appetite has grown humongously. Equilibrium is nowhere close to the horizon.

Politics of freebies

From waving of water rent to supply of free electricity for the pump sets, political elite has always been hand-in-gloves with our water intensive lifestyle and has further incentivised it. Often to gain extra marks from the potential voters, political parties especially those with regional orientation fuel the issue and provoke passion.

World Water Day

As a mean of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources United Nations designated as World Water Day. The theme this time is ‘Leaving no one behind’. It aspires at reminding people about the significance of fresh water and to promote sustainability for fresh water resources’ management. It’s a day designated to prepare for how we manage water in the future; a day to celebrate water. Interestingly, the theme in 2020 will be about Climate change.

Water for All!

Once the Agenda 2030 was adopted by the UN back in 2015, countries and stakeholders set out an ambitious agenda envisaging a world free of disease, hunger and poverty; a world where lifeforms can thrive with no one is left behind.

‘Water for All’ implies that all including those elderly, disabled, marginalized and poor get access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation as mentioned in Sustainable Development Goals. Billions of people are doomed to live without access to safe water – their households, schools, workplaces, farms and factories struggling to survive and thrive.

Marginalized groups – women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples, disabled people and many others – are often overlooked, and sometimes face discrimination, as they try to access and manage the safe water they need.

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Tricky Scribe Media Ventures Private Limited
Geopolitics

TERI SAS Pro VC Resigns

by Editor's Desk
written by Editor's Desk

Aditya Vaibhav |The TrickyScribe: Resignations are pouring in! Those lamenting lack of jobs in India be told about another vacancy for a high-profile job headquartered in the national capital region. The Energy and Resources Institute School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS) needs a Pro VC.

Although the university is yet to start hiring, The TrickyScribe confirms creation of such vacancy following the resignation by Pro VC, Dr Rajiv Seth. His resignation comes close on the heels of the recent dip in the quality of academics in TERI SAS.

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Significant drop is visible in TERI SAS if recent accreditations and markings during inspections are concerned. Faculty cries foul attributing the quality dip to the recent change in focus from academics to non-academic activities.

It may be mentioned here that faculty is known to have mixed opinions on the involvement of TERI SAS in programmes including Climate Jamboree. Dr Seth refused to comment.

He is the latest entrant in the galaxy of star performers who tabled their resignations during NDA-II. Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen was the first one amongst academicians to step down. Later the likes of Raghuram Rajan, Urjit Ravindra Patel and Surjit Bhalla found their jobs unworthy. They left.

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An Aerospace Engineer by training, Group Captain Rajiv Seth has a B Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and an M Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He is a Ph D in Business Administration (Finance) from the Aligarh Muslim University and has spent 27 years in Indian Air Force where has worked on various aircraft types and aero engines being directly involved in technical evaluation, field testing and technology transfer.

Over the past few years, Dr Seth was associated with the conceptualization and the growth of the TERI University having held positions as the Registrar and Dean (Admin) of the University besides being a Professor of Finance in the Department of Business Sustainability.

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He has been deeply involved in an international consortium of universities in the Asia-Pacific, which is led by the United Nations University, and which focuses on the integration of sustainable development in higher education. He is a Board Member of this international consortium.

Dr Seth is also the author of ‘Never Say Goodbye’ besides his research interests in areas of financial derivatives, risk management and green aviation.

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Deposit Rs 100 crore by Friday or face arrests, NGT to Volkswagen
Geopolitics

Half the cases frivolous, not related to environment

by Editor's Desk
written by Editor's Desk

The TrickyScribe: National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday observed that 50 percent of the cases being filed at the green panel were “cases of blackmailers” and “not related to the environment.” The observations came while the green panel was hearing a plea that sought a stay on the construction of a 70-story building in Mathura by ISKCON.

Asserting that the tribunal will only deal with cases related to the environment, a bench headed by NGT chairman Adarsh Kumar Goel said, “Nowadays, 50% of cases are of blackmailers…Earlier we used to issue notices…but now we are not issuing notices and disposing of the cases.”

READ MORE: TERI SAS to engage Youth, launches Climate Jamboree

The bench noted that ISKCON had all requisite permissions and asked the petitioner to approach authorities for its grievances. The petitioner had alleged that the building, that is touted to be the tallest religious monument in the world, will adversely affect the environment as it is in the vicinity of the Yamuna.

It may be mentioned here that NGT was established in October, 2010, under National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

READ MORE: Solid waste management practices to be reviewed periodically by MoHUA

The NGT is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues. The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.

The NGT‘s dedicated jurisdiction in environmental matters shall provide speedy environmental justice and help reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts. The Tribunal is mandated to make an endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same. Initially, the NGT is proposed to be set up at five places of sittings and will follow circuit procedure for making itself more accessible. New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.

READ MORE: NGT against Principles of Natural Justice

Expressing views coherent to that of the NGT bench, advocate Pratyush Prasanna recollected a 2013 case wherein there was a dispute between the builder and the buyers regarding a Gurugram-based project and told The TrickyScribe that the actual dispute was over the refund of amount and rate of interest that was to be paid by the builder but the buyers took the case to the tribunal. Advocate Prasanna said there are people who take random cases to the Tribunal thereby wasting the bench’s time. Interestingly, the said case was later compromised between the parties and the complainants withdrew the matter.

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Geopolitics

Solid waste management practices to be reviewed periodically by MoHUA

by Editor's Desk
written by Editor's Desk

The TrickyScribe: Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in supersession of Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), however, has overall mandate to take periodic review of the measures taken by the states and local bodies for improving their solid waste management practices.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr Mahesh Sharma said MoHUA is implementing the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) project under which various projects have been taken up. Under this programme during the mission period of 2014-15 to 2019-20, an allocation of Rs. 7424.24 crore was made for Solid Waste Management Projects.

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Sharma said that the ministry, under the provision of Environment Protection Act of 1986, issued several notifications to mitigate increasing pollution. Ministry has issued Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006 for the management of developmental projects.

He added that as per the notification, construction of new projects or activities or the expansion or modernization of existing projects or activities listed in the Schedule to the notification shall be undertaken only after the prior environmental clearance from the Central Government or as the case may be, by the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority.

Dr Sharma pointed out that the project proposals are appraised by the concerned State Level Expert Appraisal Committees and while recommending the proposals for grant of clearance, environmental safeguards are prescribed so as to mitigate increasing pollution.

He informed the House that the Government has comprehensively revised the waste management rules and has notified Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, E-waste Management Rules, 2016 and Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016 for sound management of various types of waste in the country.

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Sharma averred that the status of various types of pollution is being monitored by the state governments through the State Pollution Control Board. As far as air pollution is concerned a decreasing trend has been observed in SO2 levels in cities like Delhi due to various interventions that have taken place in recent years such as reduction of sulphur in diesel, use of cleaner fuel such as CNG in Delhi and Mumbai and LPG in cities like Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bangalore.

Other measures include implementation of Bharat Stage-IV emission norms for new passenger cars and Bharat Stage – III for two Wheelers in metro cities commensurate with improved fuel quality. There has been a change in domestic fuel used in the kitchen:  coal to LPG and CNG which may have contributed to the reduction in ambient levels of SO2.

Sharma asserted that the MoHUA has overall mandate to take periodic reviews of the measures taken by the states and local bodies for improving their solid waste management practices. As per MoHUA Annual Report on the implementation of SWM Rules, 2016 for year 2016-17 it is estimated that the total generation of solid waste is approximately 1,50,000 tonnes per day. Of which, approximately 90 percent (1,35,000 MT daily) is collected. Out of the collected waste, 20 percent is processed and the remaining goes to the dumping sites.

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