Did you know that there are many similarities between Banking and Yoga. Sounds strange? Explore this article to find out how!

“Yoga philosophy that has evolved over centuries is perhaps more useful to us today than ever before.” - Harvey Day

Yoga is a process, an act or a method of purification of self. It aims at harmonious development of the body, the mind and the soul. Here is a small attempt to bring to focus the relevance of yoga to banking. Like banking, the history of Yoga goes back to ages. Yoga is a psychophysical discipline developed in India with roots going back to 5000 years.

Just as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governs the entire banking system as the Central Bank of the country, our body is also governed by our central nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord. Just as we follow the regulations set by the Reserve Bank, which results in healthy banking, rhythmic breathing helps soothe our central nervous system thereby aiding in proper functioning of the body.

Therefore Pranayama – breathing exercises in Yoga are a must. Pranayama gives increased endurance; it frees the body from disease, pains and aches. This helps to gain control over emotions, maintain calm and poise at all times and under all circumstances. Meditation is the best technique of Yoga, which can be done at anyplace and at anytime and even while sitting at your worktable.

Yoga deposits good health and energy in those who practice it regularly. A healthy deposit base is the lifeline of any bank. Deposits are to a bank like the air is to a body. Each inhalation brings oxygen into the body and sparks the transformation of nutrients into fuel. Each exhalation purges the body of Carbon Dioxide, a toxic waste.

Many people suffer from anger, hatred, worry & emotional upsets. These negative qualities sow ill health and make the body gradually weak and invite various diseases. Yoga is of considerable help in removing these negative qualities and replaces them with positive qualities such as joy, love, grace, balanced mind etc.

Some interesting similarities

• Like banking, the benefits of Yoga don’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, political persuasion or any other category
• Just like the new age banks offer a wide range of products to its customers from a single window so does the Sarvangasan in Yoga. This one asana alone influences the entire body and its functions
• Resembling our ATM services, yoga offers Any Time Meditation techniques. Complying with the rules its also ensures the discharge of TDS (Toxins Deducted at Source).
• Complying with the stipulated norms of various acts in Banking protect bankers from frauds. Yoga combined with proper diet protects learners from incurable diseases.
• Yoga helps us in maintaining a healthy balance sheet by accounting anger, worry, jealousy as liabilities and joy, health, energy as assets. One can easily reconcile the life account and perform better with the aid of Yoga.
• A healthy balanced “You” is teamwork of mind, body and soul, a result of practicing Suryanamaskara. The benefits offered by Suryanamaskara (Sun Salutation) containing 12 powerful asanas, is unmatchable. Similarly in a bank when various functions and departments support and work in synchrony like a team, the benefits are akin to a Suryanamaskara and results in a healthy balanced “Bank”.