Hindus laud the push in Twin Falls School District for offering yoga course

Commending the efforts being made in Twin Falls School District (TFSD) in Idaho to introduce yoga course for juniors and seniors, Hindus are urging for launching yoga courses in all the public schools of Idaho. TFSD Board of Trustees will reportedly consider the Course Proposal for “Yoga Life” in its March 11 meeting. Hindus have called it a step in the positive direction. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended Canyon Ridge High School (CRHS) officials behind the proposal, for coming forward and attempting to provide an opportunity to students to avail the multiple benefits yoga offered. Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism; urged Idaho Governor Brad Little, Idaho State Board of Education President Linda Clark and Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra to work towards formally introducing yoga as a part of curriculum in all the public schools of the state; thus incorporating highly beneficial yoga in the lives of Idaho’s students. Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Rajan Zed pointed out. Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical. According to a recent report of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Yoga is the most popular complementary health approach in the United States - used by 14.3% of the adult population, or 35.2 million people”. According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed added. Proposed intent of "Yoga Life" course is to introduce “students to hatha yoga poses” in which “Students will participate daily in yoga flows”. This proposal has been signed by CRHS Principal Dr. Kasey Teske, Registrar Robyn Weatherford, Health/PE Department Chair Leah Holloway and Health/PE Teacher Alyson Sauer; reports suggest. TFSD, whose mission includes “to provide a quality education necessary for students to be successful in life”, serves over 9,300 students in 16 schools. Bernie Jansen and Bryan Matsuoka are Chairman and Vice Chair respectively of its Board, while Dr. Brady D. Dickinson is Superintendent.