Ancient Wisdom Modern Wellness

By Sharon Jentzer, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Jentzer Wellness Institute

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Ancient Wisdom Modern Wellness

I recently completed an intensive, 200 hour, total immersion yoga teacher training course. Wow. What an experience.

The physical regimen was challenging, but what interested me even more was the complete system that Patanjali detailed a few thousand years ago, in his 196 sutras, defining a systematic method of living in wellness. The yoga sutras or aphorisms are divided into eight limbs. The most well known of these are the physical postures, called asanas.

Go to any yoga studio and you will most likely learn how to perform the physical asanas. You may also practice the meditation limb. But there are other limbs that directly relate to us as modern day seekers of health and wellness. If you are looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than the ancient philosophy of yoga.

The first limb spells out our contract with the universe, the guidelines we humans are encouraged to follow in our relating to ourselves and others non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation of the senses and non-possessiveness.

The second limb spells out our observance and a commitment to ourselves self-purification, contentment, self-discipline, study of the self and self-surrender.

The third limb, the asanas, is a well documented exercise system, toning, strengthening and stretching all the muscles in the body.

The fourth limb deals with breathing exercises and the remaining limbs deal with various aspects of meditation and brain exercises.

This sounds a lot like modern wellness pillars of good nutrition, moderate exercise, meditation for stress reduction, adequate rest, and balancing our lives in mind, body and spirit.

Modern studies support the yoga approach to life, showing that people who make a positive change in one aspect of their life are more likely to make other positive changes as well. Sage Vasishtha said, “the greatest blessing for someone on the path of yoga, is the company of others on the same path…”

If you are on the path of wellness already, invite someone to join you. If you are trying to get on the path to wellness, join someone who is going your way.