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VOL. 10, ISSUE 4 (2025)
Yoga: Its philosophical foundations and role in health and disease
Authors
Dr. Devanshi Sharma, Dr. Nitish Bhatt, Dr. Arti, Dr. Surbhi, Sarvesh Kumar Agrawal
Abstract
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice with
philosophical foundations that emphasize interconnectedness of the self,
society, and the universe. Based on the ideas and principles within classical
texts like The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, The Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads,
yoga offers a holistic view of health that means more than the absence of
disease, but includes internal harmony, ethical living, and spiritual evolution
towards realization. It is these classical texts that begin to lay out the
philosophical foundations of yoga when they emphasize self-discipline, aiming
attention, equanimity, and the individual’s relationship with society and the
larger cosmos. At the center of this philosophical framework is Patanjali’s
Ashtanga Yoga, or eight-limbed yoga, which articulates an organized system for
achieving ethical behavior (yama and niyama), physical and mental discipline (asana
and pranayama) and higher awareness (pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi).
Likewise, The Bhagavad Gita describes the philosophical framework of yoga
through action (karma yoga), devotion (bhakti yoga), knowledge (jnana yoga),
and meditation (dhyana yoga). The Upanishads supplement this vision by
portraying yoga as a pathway toward Self-realization wherein the finite self (jiva)
becomes one with the infinite consciousness (Brahman). Yoga's holistic
tradition strongly resonates with the contemporary notion of "One Earth,
One Health"; an idea that speaks to inclusiveness, keeps the ecological
"whole" or "planet" in mind, and incorporates a sense of
shared responsibility in the pursuit of global wellness. The combination of
philosophy and health sciences, orienting itself within the community of
medical discourse as a credible health promotion and therapeutic treatment
option, is yoga. In addition to a strategy to manage lifestyle disorders,
stress-related illness and chronic diseases, yoga represents both a path of
personal self-transformation and a universal archetype of integrated health
care for the individual and singular societies of the 21st century.
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Pages:107-111
How to cite this article:
Dr. Devanshi Sharma, Dr. Nitish Bhatt, Dr. Arti, Dr. Surbhi, Sarvesh Kumar Agrawal "Yoga: Its philosophical foundations and role in health and disease". International Journal of Yoga, Physiotherapy and Physical Education, Vol 10, Issue 4, 2025, Pages 107-111
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