There is no gainsaying the truth that there has been an unbelievably tremendous impact of Covid-19 on our day-to-day social and political life. In fact, the pandemic has made all the segments such as economy, education, industry, medical, police, administration, etc., practically topsy-turvy. People are, however, aware of its impact and they are engaged at fighting it tooth and nail.
I would mainly focus on how it has affected police personnel. Honestly, Covid has, in fact, specially proved to be very critical for the cops. Other than their regular activities, they are entrusted with responsibility of dealing with the Covid situation with the primary objective of restraining spread of the virus by enforcing appropriate measures which is, undeniably, a tough job. They have to ask the people to maintain distancing, wear masks, not to crowd a shopping mall over and above enforcing the lockdown. They’re used to being in an environment full of chaos; and thus, they’ve resorted to various ways of entertainment to feel at ease. But are these methods of relaxation really what they require?
People are by nature interactive and social. They didn't face any such situation in life where they had to maintain social distancing or cover their face with masks all the time. Covid has, in fact, threatened the core human nature of social togetherness. For the police, it is a very challenging task to enforce these newfangled Covid rules. People defend themselves saying that they're not guilty; however, the police have to pin them down when they find that they are actually wrong. Constantly, there is a tug of war between the police and the public. Therefore, under the pandemic situation, police have to work relentlessly round the clock, enforcing Covid protocols. This is obviously taking a heavy toll on the police personnel. The situation demands that they have sufficient relaxation for enabling them for discharging their responsibilities perfectly.
Yoga can provide the required relaxation to these police personnel. There are techniques which can be practised either in the morning, in the afternoon or at night. It is to be practised only once in a day as per their convenience. Discharging their duties, they get tired physically, mentally and emotionally. They develop emotional, muscular and mental tension which can make them ill at a later stage. By practising these relaxation techniques, their tension can be eased. One more thing should be added here that initially they may not be interested to practise this or they may develop a tendency to postpone the practice, but this has to be done regularly to get the best results. They often tend to evade these practices, calling out for the excuse that they’re already worn out from working their fingers to the bone, but only after following these simple techniques shall they realise the potency and notability of them. Besides, the techniques would give them complete mental relaxation which is more than the regular sleep. If it is practised regularly, it will rejuvenate energy for the next day's hard task. It is also an excellent stress buster.
Surya Namaskar is an effective way of stretching, massaging and toning all the joints, muscles and internal organs of the body. It is one of the most useful methods of inducing a healthy, vigorous and active life. Minimum six rounds of its practice on a regular basis are very effective. Pranayama is expansion of vital energy by regulation of the breath. It helps attain optimum health and nourishes the whole body by an extra supply of oxygen. On a regular basis, a minimum of nine rounds of Nadi Shodhan and nine rounds of Bhramari Pranayama with specific principles will stimulate the brain centres and ensure vitality, tranquility and clarity of thoughts. Apart from this, try to find a minimum of ten to fifteen minutes to lie down or sit down with closed eyes and observe a few rounds of abdominal breathing with backward counting from hundred back to zero, which is the most effective and easiest way for complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. To know more, you’re free to contact this writer.
(Dr Swain teaches in the Department of Yogic Science, Sri Sri University, Cuttack)
