Exam experiences

 It's the exam season for children across various schools in India. I just wrapped up my 2nd sem exams (MSc Yoga Therapy) last week.

At SVYASA (my Yoga University), we are asked to enter the exam hall 30 min before the exam start time.

We settle down on the floor by rolling a mat with an independent small desk in front of us. (Those who are unable to sit on the floor are allowed to sit on the chair).

We close our eyes and take deep breaths for 5 minutes.
We chant OM 3 times, followed by "Om Sahana Vavatu" Shanti Mantra.
We then do 9 rounds of Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing).

The answer sheets are then distributed, followed by the question papers.

This routine made us feel calm and peaceful (switch from stressful sympathetic nervous system to relaxed parasympathetic nervous system). The nerves settle down and we then start writing the exam.

As I wrapped up the exam schedule, the memories of my 10th/12th board exams and Engineering degree semester exams came up where the stakes were high. I remember we would enter the exam hall at the very last minute and within 5-10 minutes, we would start writing on our answer sheets.

Exam stress is real and many of us have exam-related nightmares even in our 30s and 40s. Reaching late for exams, forgetting answers, feeling blank, pens not writing properly - these dreams still haunt us! :-)

Not sure how the experience of board exams is for the children of today. But a few minutes to ground oneself - deep breathing, Pranayama and connecting with the divinity of one's faith - will help alleviate stress to a large extent. And children won't carry the exam samskaras (impressions in the subconscious) into their 30s and 40s!

Human Evolution and its Foundations

 Human evolution is a transition in our mental refinement. Our scriptures talk about this transition in two stages:

• Prakrta Purusha - unrefined person
• Samskrta Purusha - refined person

Prakrta purusha is a stage driven by our likes/dislikes. We lead our lives according to our whims and fancies. Young children (infants and toddlers) act according to what they feel like doing. They do what they want to do without any hesitation or guilt.

We then slowly transition to refining our personality and decide our actions based on what is proper. This transition coincides with the manifestation of our intellect at the subtle level and the growth of the cerebrum and nerve cells in our forebrain at the gross level.

Intellect helps us to reason, analyze, and think about the consequences of our actions before acting impulsively.

This transition from Prakrta purusha to Samskrta purusha is influenced by multiple factors - parenting, family values, childhood environment, right role models, value-based education, habits and routines, exposure to the right content, friends, community, etc.

In today's scenario, we see that this transition has slowed down. And in many cases, we notice that it is shifting backward.

Movies and social media influence youngsters to pursue actions based purely on likes/dislikes. Value education gets the least importance across the board - in family, schools, society, or access to role models. 

Herd mentality without questioning, YOLO mindset, peer pressure, instant gratification, and ignoring the calls of conscience are some of the repercussions we are noticing due to the lack of importance given to values.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati, in his book "Value of Values" states:

"A value is a value for me only when I see the value of the value as valuable to me".

Refinement of personality and character is built on the foundation of values.

There is no point blaming Gen-Z and Alpha kids unless we (the previous generations) establish the right foundation for them by setting the right example. 

Balance in our daily choices

 In Yoga asana practice, we generally do complementary poses together. For example, Ushtrasana (back bend) + Shashankasana (forward bend), 

Hasta Uttanasana (back bend) + Padahastasana (forward bend). We also ensure that whenever we do a posture on the right side, we immediately do the same on the left side. These are designed in such a way as to bring balance and harmony and prevent untoward, extreme stretching on one side or one group of muscles.

The same principle applies to our daily choices as well. But most of us seem to be ignoring or unaware of this principle. 

After a long, hard day of work with back-to-back meetings, highly stimulating conversations, and battling stress in the form of traffic, work pressure, and deadlines (sympathetic nervous system going on an overdrive), what do we do with the few hours that we get for relaxation and reset? 

We watch movies and OTT series with violent/gory action scenes.

We continuously swipe through Reels/Shorts before going to bed.

We play action-oriented video games - racing, fights, chases, etc.

We watch the news on politics and other world updates, where the discussions are anything but productive, where everyone shouts at the top of their voices.

We intentionally go to bed late by spending time on these activities. There is a term for this choice, aptly titled "revenge sleep procrastination".

The sympathetic system (fight/flight) is constantly activated. We don't prioritize those tasks that activate the vagus nerve and switch on the parasympathetic system (rest/digest mode). 

Sleeping on time, deep breathing, meditation, basic Pranayamas, gentle stretches, Yoga asanas, chanting, and listening to soft music - these are some of the activities to bring back balance in our daily lives. But sadly, only a few seem to value or incorporate these slow, winding-down activities in their routines. 

Why wait until the diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, or hormonal disorders, before making changes? Let's prioritize our night-time routine to bring balance in our nervous system, breath and mind.

Sleeping on time - an act of rebellion

 In a recent podcast, I heard this statement from a neurologist - "Today, sleeping on time is an act of rebellion. The whole society is designed to keep you up late in the night - the entertainment industry, work demands, social interactions, food & beverage industry etc. You have to be a rebel to sleep on time". There is so much truth in this statement. Let's focus on the work demands angle.

In the 2000s while I used to work for an MNC, we did have night calls with our US counterparts but they would get over at a reasonable time of 10:30PM. Fast forward to 2025, based on my discussions with friends in the industry, I learned that calls are scheduled at 11 PM and some go on till 1AM. 

Is it because we don't give importance to sleep?

Is it because the Western counterparts don't care about the sleep timings of their colleagues in India?

Is it because of our lack of ability to say NO/decline such meetings at odd times?

Apart from conference calls, various deliverables and deadlines force us to stay awake and compromise our sleep. 

Unnecessary pressures (as though the world is about to collapse if the build isn't pushed), 

Unrealistic targets (Set by investors that percolate down to founders, down to middle management, down to developers), 

Unplanned projects and upcoming meetings (to meet the sudden demand from existing clients or to pitch for a new client)

Rarely, anyone questions these UN-necessary/UN-realistic/UN-planned stuff. We presume that's how things roll and we put undue pressure on ourselves and the team. As days pass by, compromising on sleep and health leads to various psychosomatic ailments.

We might have a choice to say NO when it comes to watching OTT series or movies, or social engagements late at night. There may not be any consequences if we say NO.

In the case of work-related demands, do we feel comfortable declining an 11 PM meeting? 

Is it acceptable to say NO even if the meeting request comes from a higher authority?

Are we empowered to say NO without having to bear any negative consequences? Irrespective of our rank/position in the organization hierarchy?