Preface

'Yoga For All': This book has been written, keeping in mind the ten-twelve year olds and their guardians. Yog is really a spiritual and righteous way of life. Children have to be initiated into Yog from a very young age by their parents, teachers and learned men. The foundation of yog, on which the super-structure of life is to be built, is based on 'Yam' and 'Niyam'.

Yog has eight components namely 'Yam' 'Niyam', 'Asan', 'Pranayam', 'Dharana', 'Dhyan' and 'Samadhi'. Out of these eight 'Asan' is, undoubtedly, the most important. Asan is the tangible form of Yog. But if you start straightaway with the 'Asans' without bothering about 'Yam' and 'Niyam' of Yog, it will be like constructing a tall two or three storeyed house without a strong foundation. Such a building is bound to collapse. In the same manner, 'Asans' done without paying attention to 'Yam' and 'Niyam' will become a fruitless exercise.

In this book short story based on the five 'Yams' namely 'Alimsa (Non-violence)', Satya (Truth)', 'Asteya (Non-covetous-ness)', 'Brahmacharya (Self-control)', 'Aparigrah Non-possession of excessive material wealth)' and the five Niyams namely 'Shauch (internal cleansing)', 'Santosh (contentment)' 'Tapa (self-discipline)', 'Swadhyaya (self education)', 'Ishwar Pranidhan (thinking of God)' have been written and compiled. Some easy 'Asans', 'Pranayam (breath control)' and 'Dhyan (meditation)' have also been written about, so that young children can imbibe morality and grow up to be ideal citizens of the country and serve society and the nation.

The N. C. E. R. T. has prepared a Syllabus for the teaching of Yog to students from Classes one to five. This book has been written in accordance with that. I am confident that this book would help children to take interest in our cultural heritage and encourage them to practise Yog.

I am grateful to Sri Vedprakash Shastri, Sri G. L. Anand and Dr. Vedvati Vaidik who have helped me in the writing of this book.