The similarities of Yoga and cricket!

Understanding sports through a yogic Angle
It’s been a very gradual move, but one that has emerged in time. Today you don't take sports as just sports; you take it as an investment opportunity. The players, the increasing number of them, have become more and more involved in the championship, and in proving their might. Suddenly the game has lost all its fervor.

Playing for a country for reasons of fulfilling a billion people’s expectations is not the only lesson that any form of sport might teach you. When players start playing to satisfy other people's expectations, their minds are completely stressed and its tough for them to assess their physical ability. Their movements become withdrawn, and also at times their thought process is simply limited to score a point over the other!

So what does this teach you... that when a man is truly happy and carefree, he can engage in incredible physical action. This may not be restricted to sports alone. It can span across millions of fields and yet be based on this fundamental principle. This is what Yoga teaches you too. That with thought, a simple one, can give rise to the realization of intentions.

Similarities between Yoga and sports
In such a state of mind, when the mind is free, the thought is not to compete, but to simply act...Perform. When the players practice intensely, everything that they have to do on the field is nothing but second nature to them. The action performed can simply flow out of them - as and when the game demands. This makes them respond with great gusto and agility and becomes a tough cookie for their opponents.

This in short is also the nature of Yoga. That with appropriate practice, you can bring in sufficient control over your mind and body; that there's no time to think about the next, forthcoming action. It just follows through with ease.

Meditation is just one of the many forms of getting back to one's original nature; quite inter-linked with Yoga. With the meticulous breathing and monitored movement of each breath, you'll realize the amount of peace within yourself. With just one breath all identifications suddenly dissolve into oblivion. If you notice, there are no champions in the practice of Yoga. It depends on each individual capacity, and never a competition amongst people. Similarly, when playing any sport, the player needs to shed all inhibitions.

The reason I mention Cricket on top of the list was because cricket is one sport that is loved by the world. It is important that people are aware of themselves, completely so, in all aspects, physical, mental, in their emotional side and spiritually too! The reason people indulge in various kinds sports is perhaps because like sports, variety is the essence of life! And most people enjoy this as a form of recreation. Yoga can be at best exercised if it is joyfully accepted and played in its authentic form, with complete concentration. In both cases what is important is that you realize the constant learning that you achieve and not concentrate on scoring a point over the other. What the player makes of himself is more important than what he makes of the game.

Without bringing a certain quality into themselves, players they cannot bring the true quality into the game. If they cultivate humility, they can aspire to reach unimaginable heights of performance. Humility is one of the many things that Yoga teaches you. It just so happens that we take this definition in understanding it through the medium of sports. So how does it affect a sportsperson, or a person practicing Yoga?

Well for starters, both require the same zest for accuracy to play it well. Secondly, its important for anyone being it a sports freak or an ordinary person to be fit and in tune with the surroundings in life. An interesting find is that both lead to the same understanding that with its practice you are going to get mentally, physically and spiritually fit. Funny that the people playing don’t realize the innumerable aspects that is being taught! Some food for thought!