Yoga and Higher Learning

By John Dunbar
30 June 2009 12:16:00

Yoga and Higher Learning

When I went to university (and it was some time ago), yoga was almost unheard of.  Now there are yoga classes being offered at most universities. 

Recently I was invited to lecture at the Mae Fa Luang University near Chiang Rai in the North of Thailand.  This is a beautiful campus in the foothills.  The university is dedicated to the King's mother.  There is a beautiful statue of her in the center of the campus giving her a view of the surrounding campus and the serene beauty of this very special part of Thailand.

I had not been in a classroom for a long time.  In my day, presentations were done with yellowed overheads and slide shows, but now the power point presentation is the norm.  This meant that I had to learn how to put together a lecture on a computer - not that easy.                                                 

The students were from the Traditional Thai Medicine program, which was recently introduced on the campus as an alternative medicine program for students.  The program focuses a lot on Thai massage and the use of herbs to cure various ailments.  There is a lot of influence from Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

I did two lectures followed by 90 minute yoga classes.  There were about 40 students in each class and somehow the Professor was able to find almost enough yoga mats for the students.  We all had fun and some in the group were very flexible.  There was the usual gasping and groaning, but by the end everyone seemed to have really enjoyed the class.  So much so that I received another invitation to return the following month!

I can see huge benefits to professors encouraging their students to take yoga classes.  Yoga focuses the mind, and allows us to relax.  Students are inherently stressed, especially around exam time.  There are few programs that have mandatory recreation, but it would be so wonderful if they could implement yoga into the curriculum - especially for first year students whose stress level is often off the chart.

So, to those students out there, try taking a yoga class, even two times a week and see how much benefit you will get from letting your body and mind relax for an hour after or before a stressful day of classes.

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