On Yoga and the ‘stressed’ software engineers – a search for the truth

Today morning, on the way to office, I happened to meet a young lady who introduced herself to me, as a yoga teacher. I am always fascinated when I hear about yoga, since I never could figure out how all those people managed to see the so-called ‘inner-light’ when they meditated. I could never feel the experience, having tried so at least 2 times before. I’d (and still have) a feeling that all this could be just a passing fad. But, looking at the way she talked passionately about yoga, I started to feel that she could, after all, be a little, just a little right. She had been working as a freelance writer for one of the well-known newspapers, till a few months back, when all of a sudden caught of this yoga fever and joined the band-wagon. But, not the band-wagon of those who just only talk about it, and never do anything actually, but as somebody who practices it and also teaches it to other people. Well, that is fascinating! So, may be there is something true with the whole thing. Anyway, I think I should find it out. So, in the new few days, I will find out more details about this thing called yoga and get enlightened…Watch out for my gospel during the coming days!

However, there was one thing that she asked me about my job, that curiously provoked me. Having told her that I work for a software organization for the past 10 years, the immediate next thing she told me was she knew how stressful that job was – she sympathized with me. She said, her brother who works for a software house is out for work at 6 am and comes back home at 8 pm. I agreed with her that it is quite a work! But, the truth is, I could never ever feel such a stress either in my life, or at work. I’d loved this work so much, and even looked forward to every day, with a lot of eagerness. Even now, all this is true. So, I can’t understand how this hype of software engineers being so stressed out actually caught up with the general public. It looks like even the folks working in the software industry consider it a matter of pride to state that they are stressed. So, when I told her this, she did not obviously believe me, but didn’t fortunately try to persuade me in believing herJ Thank goodness for that, but I am afraid, one day people outside of the industry will hype it so much and make all of us the symbols of stress and put up in the pedestals as most stressful living beings who ever walked on this earth. And maybe even many among us, will be happy and proud to accept it so…