Yoga is no more the ancient heritage of India. It has become domineering part of the Western lifestyle. Its authentic "export" to the western world, started with Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address, at the Parliament of Religions in the year 1893.
"Brothers and Sisters of America", he thundered and thereon audience heard in rapt attention the number of spiritual discourses, from his bronze-bell like voice. Many discourses followed on various types of yoga and their importance to human life. The Brothers and Sisters of USA and over 4000 delegates who attended the Parliament of Religions from various countries carried the stamp of yoga and spirituality on their mind from that day onwards.
Indian yogis and masters were simple human beings. Indian climate is also moderate. Not much thought was ever applied to the equipment part of Yoga. Yoga was taught, and practiced by very limited disciples of the sages. It was after Yoga left the shores of India and a surprised western world accepted it taking into consideration its all pervading utilities. And yoga was given the sports look. Initially, the westerners took to this practice, for they found it to be a panacea for various illnesses, chronic ailments included.
The yoga equipments became very popular in various yoga training institutes and teaching centers. The purpose of these equipments was basically to help the yoga practitioner achieve the maximum results and benefits of yoga sessions. Health and yoga became the words of passion for the global audience. By practicing yoga, they achieved peace on all counts, physical, mental and spiritual! They became tension free, challenged stress with confidence and were spiritually rejuvenated! They also realized that there is a path of self-knowledge which every individual is duty-bound to tread, for achieving ultimate bliss.
You may wonder what yoga equipments have got to do with practice of yoga. As pointed out earlier, yoga is no more the property of the privileged few. It is, so to say, a mass consumption item. There is a commercial craze and hype for yoga. The senior citizens, and those suffering from chronic ailments find the equipments, specially designed taking into consideration their requirements and comforts, useful and essential.
The utility of yoga videos, another important equipment that has taken the yoga world by storm, can not be over emphasized. You are in your own drawing room watching and observing the intricacies of various postures. Those who can not afford the costly yoga institutes, this is a cheap alternative. There are innumerable poses of yoga and proper alignment of the body parts is most important. During such delicate moments of practice of yoga, the yoga equipments play a useful role. Therefore, any reputed institute keeps stock of such equipments taking into consideration the qualitative and quantitative requirements of their students.
Therefore, yoga equipments have come to stay. The modern yogis might have strayed away from the ancient Indian tradition of yoga, in this regard. But there are valid reasons for their doing so!
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