Yoga Core of Vivekananda Kendra

The mission of India has been to guide the humanity in the path spirituality, help humanity in spiritual evolution. India alone can do that as

Our national ethos: longing for Mukti, for realization of that divine nature, for that pursuit of Dharma — Purushartha — Dharma has been the life Prana of our nation.

Present paradoxical situation: What are the indications of the manifestation of Dharmik life? Not just going to temples, Katha Kirtanas. But traits that develop in a God-ward society, Dharrnik, spiritual society are purposeful living, discipline, character, truthfulness, fellow-feeling, fearlessness, subordination of the self and a zest for works of public good.

Distorted Conception of Religion, dharma, and spirituality is the Root Cause of Our ills. Therefore, Swami Vivekananda's lectures in Madras in February 1897. We have to rebuild India on Spiritual lines —jewels from Vedas, Upanisads and Bhagvad Gita should be scattered across the length & breadth of Bharat — made available to masses in modern languages.

As god is everywhere, the real spiritual life means experiencing the presence of God in one's own self and in the world. That makes one conscious of the divine within and urges him to work for its unfoldrnent and enables him to grow spiritually. Simultaneously, it generates in him a sense of oneness with God's creation and, consequently, an intense fellow-feeling for the members of his own species — the human race — and prompts him to work with zest for human welfare and progress. This is what Swami Vivekananda insisted by exhorting us to serve man serve God, Faith in yourself etc.

Late Mananeeya Eknathji took inspiration from the message of Swamiji while compiling 'Rousing Call to the Hindu nation'. He realized that as Dharma is the Prana of Indian Nation, its dynamic and vibrant meaning shall invigorate the nation. He felt that the Need of the Hour was to launch a two-pronged Movement. He said,

• Thus he launched Vivekananda Kendra. The most effective science and methodology to awaken the divinity in man and to channelise it for national reconstruction is Yoga.
• Yoga is non-sectarian. As Vivekananda Kendra wants to be place where all can come to gather, Yoga is the best medium.
• Yoga is the solution for all the present problems of man-kind like disintegration of families, social systems disturbed, mind because of that ailments, violence, ecological imbalance etc. The mission of India is to guide the whole world, Kendra is working to establish India as Jagadguru, therefore the Yoga in Kendra is not presented as yoga therapy but a way of life, which would bring paradigm shift, which would change the present reductionist way of life and bring Integral — holistic- way of life.
• Today for national regeneration work we need to bring the eminent, elite and established persons of the society to our Vedic thinking. For that Yoga is the best medium. This class gets easily attracted by Yoga. So it is a best medium for us to approach people.

Therefore Eknathji established Yoga as the core of Vivekananda Kendra. Yoga meant by Eknathji is not just for physical, therapeutical, individual benefits & salvation but also to "Bring together the scattered spiritual forces for National Union" — Rashtra Nirman. — Process of Man making for Nation building.

Yoga is not a physical exercise, a therapy, an other -worldly affair but a way of life in which integration of body, mind and intellect as well as integration with the samashti around is achieved.  Yogabhyas in Yoga Satras and Vargas or the yoga modules should not be therefore focused only on Asan-Pranayam and Kriyas but should be designed to develop and cater to the needs of all the Pancha Kosas and should integrate a person with the Samashti. It should be samagra yoga.