Yoga Education and Spiritual Journalism

While writing this book, I have tried to explore all the aspects of yoga and spiritual journalism. I have tried to illustrate various points with the latest examples from newspapers, magazines, research journals and other sources. The views of yoga experts and journalists and other scholars who have been active in academic and professional fields have been incorporated so as to enrich the contents of the book. This research work will prove useful as study material for the students of journalists and Yoga as well. It will help the reporters report the beat skillfully and with expertise. It will be helpful in promoting healthy journalism, which is the need of the hour. It will be helpful in propagating the message of yoga in its true form, and will create people’s awareness about yoga for their well-being. Written in a clear, simple language, this book, I hope, would be useful to yoga and mass communication students, media professionals, yoga professors and yoga aspirants.

Dr. Ajay Bhardwaj, Ph.D., has four masters under his belt, two in English Literature, one in Human consciousness and Yogic Science, and other in Journalism and Mass Communication. "A Study of Yoga Related Coverage in Print Media" was his Ph.D. thesis. He qualified UGC NET (Yoga) in July 2018.

Dr. Bhardwaj is a Senior Asst. Professor in the Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, UK, India. He is also associated with the Dept. of Yoga and Health, DSVV, where he is teaching Post graduate and other courses. He has authored the book: Celebrating Life with Yoga, and co-authored the book: Human Consciousness and Yogic Science. He presented his research paper titled: Yoga for Global peace and harmony in the first International Yoga Conference at Consulate General of India, New York on 20-21 June 2018. His research papers and articles have been published in various journals of national and international repute, magazines and newspapers. He is a member of the Editorial Boards of many YOGA and other journals. He has presented papers in numerous national and international seminars and conferences. Several research scholars are pursuing their PhDs under his supervision.

We are passing through 21st century. The development of science and technology during the last two centuries, and most particularly during the present one, has brought about revolutionary changes in the living conditions of the modern man and their attitude towards life. But with the achievements of science and technology can it be considered that the man with all sorts of comforts and luxuries is happy today? The answer seems to be a big "No". The fast pace of ever changing trends in modern life is causing physical, mental, moral, social and spiritual problems. Chaos and confusion, stress and tension, commercialization and competition in every walks of life has led to a situation where man is finding himself helpless. The faulty, materialistic and mechanical life style adopted by the man has resulted in psychosomatic disorders. The story does not end here. We are witnessing the rapid degradation of moral values in every walk of life. As a result of which the family is getting broken. The society 1s over flooded with evil tendencies like violence, crime, corruption, selfishness, and countless immoral and inhuman activities. On national level we are witnessing degradation of national character, scam after scam, religious fundamentalism, and disharmony and threatening national integration.

As for the degradation of moral values, even the field of journalism is not an exception. There has been a vast change in the values and the agenda of the press since the advent of globalization, privatization and liberalization, the focus being on market realities and market success. Newspapers and magazines are flooded with negative news and views.

Thus the root cause of all the evils is degradation of moral values. A man deprived of moral values is a problem and danger not only for himself but the family, society, and nation as well. Thus the man surrounded by problems is in urgent need of inner peace and bliss which can be attained only through yoga and spirituality, as the spirituality is the source of human values and is capable of solving various problems of the day. Under such conditions, the role of journalism which is called the watch dog of society and the fourth pillar of democracy becomes all the more important.

Today people are flocking to yoga for their well-being. several researches conducted in the field of yoga have shown that yoga is successful in curing several physical and mental disorders. Today people have begun to understand that yoga can provide them what medicines and other things can’t. Yoga is now popular even among the youth and celebrities as they want to gain physical beauty and fitness through yoga. No doubt, in recent years, people’s interest in yoga has increased but it is equally true that people are not aware of the true form of yoga. Some asanas, and kriyas, which they consider, yoga, are merely physical exercises and external aspects of yoga. It is this aspect of yoga which has gained too much publicity, first in western countries and thereafter in India.

A number of yoga clubs have mushroomed in India and abroad where the so-called yoga gurus are projecting yoga merely as physical exercises rather than an extraordinary science of self-development and self-realization. Although, yoga is helpful in gaining physical well-being but it is not the ultimate goal of yoga. It is self-realization which is the ultimate goal of yoga. The yoga in fact begins with the purity of mind. That is why Maharshi Patanjali has recommended Yama and Niyama, first in his Astanga Yoga. Thus there is the dire need of the day that the true form of yoga is presented before the common masses; otherwise they would remain unaware and confused about the true form of yoga. Journalism can play a major role in this regard.

Yoga and spiritual magazines like Kalyan, Akhand Jyoti, Prabuddha Bharat, Yoga Vidya, Yoga Sudha, Divine Life etc. have already been doing a remarkable job in this regard. But here in the role of the newspapers and magazines of the main stream journalism becomes all the more important, as the common readers go through the newspapers and magazines rather than any specific magazines.

At present, whatever we have in the name of yoga, in the newspapers and magazines of the mainstream journalism is just a beginning, and a matter of great concern. Being aware of this fact, yoga journalism in India has yet to come out of its present state of infancy. Therefore, there seems to be the need of the analysis of the evolving state of yoga journalism in mainstream media.

Yoga journalism is, in fact, the key to real treasure of the yogic or spiritual knowledge. By virtue of which yogic knowledge and concepts could be carried to the common man. It is yoga journalism by virtue of which the common man could know how to put yoga and spirituality into practice in his day to day life for physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

**Contents and Sample Pages**