Is Yoga a system of medicine?
In a recent insurancepe insights post, we have seen that many countries have derecognized homeopathy or started to do so; atleast from an insurance coverage perspective. Today I wish to speak about yoga as a system of medicine.
Every Indian health insurance policy today states that AYUSH treatment is covered. AYUSH is an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. We do have also a ministry called the Ministry of AYUSH with “Yoga and Naturopathy” shown together on their website.
The nine systems of Indian philosophy
Madhvacharya, one of the ancient seers of India, had written a book called Sarva Darshan Sangraha, in which he talked about nine systems of Indian philosophy. They are. Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, and the philosophy of Charvaka. We have nine systems of philosophical thinking in India and all of these philosophical systems besides Charvaka (which is a materialistic philosophy) talk about moksha. You could also call it Nirvana, Samadhi, and many other names.
What is Yoga?
Yoga as a system of philosophy was advocated by Maharshi Patanjali. What is the main theme of yoga? The theme of yoga is to realize God, to attain the state of Samadhi. Yoga unfolds on an eightfold path, ending with Samadhi. Of this eightfold path. Asana is one of the steps. Asana means the Asan Shirshasana, Dhanurasana, Padmasana. The various yogic postures are called Asanas.
The question is, how can these yogic postures cure anybody of any ailment?
These postures, on a stand-alone basis, can at most be called exercise. If this is called an exercise, then football is also exercise, cricket or kabaddi. Running, walking, pilates or hockey; all of these are exercises. Now, coming to yoga, where is the doctor here? Where is the patient here? Where is the prescription? Every form of medicine, there is a patient, an ailment, a certified doctor, a prescription, and a medicine. In the absence of any of these, how can we call yoga a system of medicine? There is no doctor. If you want to call any yoga teacher a doctor, then you can also call a football coach a doctor. A boxing coach can also be called a doctor. Even if there were to be a doctor, where is the prescription? Where is the medicine? How can yoga be a system of medicine then?
Yoga and health insurance
By considering yoga to be a system of medicine covered by insurance, the policyholders are being cheated. Yes, the government has introduced, in the AYUSH ministry, yoga and naturopathy as a system of medicine, but is it? Insurers charge an extra premium (or atleast dedicate a certain percentage of the premiums towards coverage for AYUSH) from the policyholders for this, especially where, in health insurance, there has to be an ailment. An ailment has to be short-term. It needs to be cured either through medicines or through surgery, or both. None of those are present here. In the absence of any of these, how can even one naya paisa be charged as a premium towards this? Atrocious.
Yoga, thus, cannot be called a system of medicine. It’s high time that our country should rethink it. The fact that it is one of the oldest systems of philosophy advocated by Patanjali is a different matter. In the name of “Patanjali”, many things are sold which people buy. To clarify, Ayurveda is not yoga, and Ayurveda is not Patanjali. The aim of Ayurveda is not Moksha. The aim of Ayurveda is the same as of Siddha, or Unani, which is is the well-being of a human being, the health of a man. Not Moksha. Not Samadhi. Not Nirvana.
Perpetual fraud is being committed in health insurance through the coverage of yoga. The policyholders are being promised reimbursement or coverage for the medical expenses where there is no medicine, no prescription, and no doctor. If you were to reduce your high blood pressure (BP) through some yogic postures, you can also do so by walking or cycling. Exercise is an essential to the human body, no doubt, but how can exercise be a form of medicine? It must be stopped. Even the remotest possibility of a promise that we will pay in a health insurance policy is completely misleading, a fraud. It is looting the public in the name of treatment. Therefore, in AYUSH insurance coverage, Ayurveda, Unani, and Allopathy may be considered to be forms of medicine, but yoga? No, never.
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