Hong Kong Peoples Social Values Of Welfare Sociology Essay

Hong Kong Peoples Social Values Of Welfare Sociology Essay Topic: Critically examine the development and changes of social values of welfare held by Hong Kong people before and after 1997. What are the factors affecting the changes? Welfare is all collective interventions to meet certain needs of the individual and/or to serve the wider interests of society may now be broadly grouped intoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ categories of welfare (Titmuss, 1959). The development in the social values of welfare has always been changing throughout the centuries, particularly the 20th century. In traditional Chinese society, people used to believed that social welfare, or fuk lei, was given by kind-hearted philanthropists in society (N. Chow, 1994, p.325). In the early 20th century, the concept of social welfare was still very weak among Hong Kong people. Majority of welfare services were provided by non-government organizations before 1965 (W. S. Chow, 1993, p. 41). The situation changed after the publication of the white paper of the social welfare in 1965. Together with the rise of social worker, more people consider social welfare is part of their civil rights in the following decades. In 1997, the change in sovereignty of Hong Kong and the Asian financial crisis brought a significant impact on the social values of welfare. In the following paragraphs, I will briefly discuss the development of social welfare in Hong Kong and the corresponding social values of welfare, particularly the changes before and after 1997. As will be argued, there are both long term and short term factors that led the changes. The former would be the increasing consideration of civil rights and the latter would be the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the change in sovereignty of Hong Kong and the publication of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Review. In the early 20th century, majority of people considered welfare was given by kind-hearted philanthropists in society. As Hong Kong was a colony of Britain at that time, the colonial government put their focuses on protecting the Britishs interest, particularly the British merchants. Hence, the living environment and welfare of local Chinese were not concerned by the colonial government unless it interfere the interest of British. With this colonial background, local Chinese rationalized the concept of welfare would not be given by the colonial government. The Chinese merchants used their wealth to establish and maintain their reputations and leadership roles through acts of charity (Leung, 1996, p.3). They set up organizations and gave welfare to the locals. Among these organizations, Tung Wah Hospital was the most noteworthy charitable organization which catered the medical services and welfare needs to the locals. Apart from these organizations, churches and clans man association would also give welfare to the locals too. In the post World War II period, the situation had a slightly change. In the post war period, a large number of non-government or voluntary welfare organizations were set up in Hong Kong. It is important to note that most of these welfare organizations had their parent-bodies overseas. A typical example of these organizations would be the Hong Kong Red Cross. During this emergency period, the internationally-linked welfare organization had probably done much more than the government in meeting the welfare needs of people (N. Chow, 1994, p.324). Although the concept of welfare is given by kind-hearted philanthropists was weaken, the majority of the Chinese in Hong Kong are still unable to wipe away the traditional notions of welfare and accept the modern idea that it should be the responsibility of the state to provide the necessary social welfare services (N. Chow, 1994, p. 325). Meanwhile, a large proportion of population was refugee from mainland China (Due to the civil war in Chin a). Part of them considered Hong Kong is there temporary shelter but not their home. Hence, welfare development would not be their consideration as they expected to leave Hong Kong soon. These factors made there were only little pressure groups would fight for the rights for the locals in that period. The situation further changed after 1965. In 1965, the colonial government published the White Paper on social welfare. N.Y. Chow (1993) suggests that to be exact, the beginning of social welfare policy of Hong Kong was after the publication of the first White Paper on social welfare in 1965 (p.41). The White paper was the first government document that discusses social welfare policy in Hong Kong. It explained the welfare development and integrated the experiences from the development. Also, it gives the stands of colonial government toward social welfare policy and reasons that made the government cannot implement comprehensive social policy in Hong Kong. Although the White Paper has been blamed for lacking in-depth discussion on the blueprint of social welfare development and the foreseeable challenges, but this White paper gives a foundation for the further development of social welfare system (W. S. Chow, 1993). The concept of social welfare and government were no longer disseve ring like the past. More people started to integrate social welfare into the role of government. The most rapid change was found in the 70s. There were two major factors that led the change, the Big Bang of social policy and the rise of social worker. The Big Bang of social policy was initiated by the 25th governor of Hong Kong, Murray MacLehose. After MacLehose take office the governor in 1972, he had a strong sense of responsibility towards social welfare, under his influence, amendment of social welfare policy was necessary (W. S. Chow, 1993, p. 52). Apart from it, the increasing social problems (i.e. the riot in 1966 and 1967, Corruption) led the demand for governments involvement in social welfare further increased. These factors urged the publication of the second White Paper of social welfare in 1973. The aim of the White Paper was giving a five year plan of social welfare development and dividing the responsibility in providing social welfare between government and voluntary organizations. The aspects of social welfare in the five year plan included education, housing, m edical service, social allowance, youth services etc. The comprehensive expansion of welfare services increased the involvement of people in social welfare system. The value of welfare would not be given by the colonial government was further weakening in this period. Apart from the Big Bang of social policy, the rise of social worker also led to the significant change in social value of welfare. The rise of social worker could be traced back to the professionalization of social work and the implement of professional training at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in the mid-1960s. In the 1960s, Fabian Socialism was the most fashionable approach taught in the social work schools of the two universities (N. Chow, 1994, p.327). Equality, freedom and fellowship are the central values of Fabian Socialism. The social work students in 60s and 70s were strongly influenced by these values. They had a strong sense of working towards a more equal and justice society. Hence, when the students became social workers in society, they would try to advocate policies that achieve to these two ideals. More people would consider welfare as a means to achieve an equal society. Meanwhile, the young social workers at that time also stres sed on civil rights. They believed that social welfare is one the important parts of civil rights. When they graduated, they would educate and advocate the public to uphold their civil rights through different social actions. As a result, under this influence, it led to the rise of the awareness of welfare system as rights enjoyed by citizen. Another significant change of social values of welfare could be found in 1997. The major factor that led to the change is the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. Before the crisis, the economy in Hong Kong was at boom. Majority of people were actively investing in property market and stock market. At that time, people emphasized on material values and short-term time horizon. Material values are the major criterion used to evaluate the worth of things and people (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.68). Meanwhile, majority of Chinese investor were looking for the maximum benefit in the shortest period of time. Topley states that many Chinese still prefer to invest in non-industrial property and trade because of the relatively quicker return of capital and profits. When investing in industry, the overwhelming desire of investors is to look for quick profits by whatever means present themselves as attractive in the short run rather than to look for opportunity for starting long-term investment. (as cited in Lau, 1982, p.70) As both of the property market and stock market were so flourished, the economic environment enabled people to achieve the above goals simultaneously. This in turn led Hong Kong became one of the wealthiest cities in Asia. The living standard in Hong Kong was one of the highest in Hong Kong history in the early mid 1990s. As most people could sustain their life in the market, they put less consideration on the welfare system. At that time, people would consider social welfare system was only for those who were in need in society, like elderly and disabled people. In other words, despite the underprivileged and the corresponding pressure group, majority in society would not care about the welfare system as they believed they could achieve self-sustentions in market. In general, social welfare development was overwhelmed by economic development at that period. But a significant change was provoked by the 1997 financial crisis. A great depression in both stock market and property market was provoked by the crisis. Lots of people were bankrupted because of the suddenly fall in the property market. Also, a massive unemployment was accompanied with the economic downturn, particularly in the financial sector. The decline in consumption led to further depression in other non-financial sector. The financial crisis brought two major impacts on the welfare system. First, it led to a significant fall in the tax income of the government. Second, more people fall into the safety net of the welfare system. In other words, it led an increase in demand for welfare services. Simultaneously, it would increase the welfare expenditure of the government. As these two factors happened at the same time, this brought heavy pressure on the financial budget of the government. At the same period, the sovereignty of Hong Kong changed back to China. One of the problems that foresee by the government is the increase in immigrants from China. In the review report of CSSA that published by the Social Welfare Department, it suggests that the increase in mainland immigrants would lead to an increase application for CSSA. It implies that the government believes that a number of mainland immigrants would rely on the welfare system for livelihood. Before the publication of the report, the government already spread this ideology through news and government press. At that time, the government disclosed different abusive cases of CSSA by the new immigrants. This made the public also be believed the new immigrants would bring pressure to Hong Kong welfare system. The economic downturn, mainland immigrants, together with the foreseeable aging population, these made the government believed a review for welfare system is necessary. As the government wanted to tighten the budget for social welfare expenditure, the publication of the review report was a means of government to the public support. This report brought a momentous impact on the social value of welfare. In particular, there were more people believed that abusive cases are common in the welfare system after the publication of the report. For example, the report suggested the level of benefits for four-person household is high. The average monthly payment for a four-person household increased in 120% from 1980s to 1990s. But the median wage of workers only increased 41%. The government suggested that this would create disincentive to work and lead to long term dependency on welfare system. According to a survey, 36.4% of respondents believed that the increasing number of CSSA cases becau se the criteria for application is too lenient (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.5). Although the way and method that government used to interpret and present the statistics had bias and hidden agenda, majority still believed that CSSA was breeding lazy people. Since CSSA has a strict income test and asset test, statistics of Suspected Fraud and Abuse was minimal. But the mass media created a negative image of CSSA recipients as they only reporting fraud and abusive cases. This, in turn, created a strong labeling effect on CSSA recipients. In a survey, 40.8% of respondents agreed that CSSA recipients are not deserved to be help (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.9). This reflected the fact that CSSA recipients were stigmatized. Apart from stigmatization of CSSA recipients, the role of welfare that interpreted by the public is also worth to discuss. Compare with giving direct welfare, people considered that self-reliance would be more appropriate. In a survey, 70.3% of respondents believed that people should satisfy their needs through self-reliance. On the other hand, only 8.6% respondents believed that people should satisfy their needs through social welfare (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.30). The development of the concept self-reliance could be explained by the Utilitarianistic Familism. Utilitarianistic Familism is social values of the Chinese people in Hong Kong (Lau, 1982). Chinese people would put the interest of family member in a higher priority over others. The bonding of the family members was strong. In addition to the extended family structure in the early mid 20th century, people would not look for help from government; rather, they would look for help from family members. As most problems could be solved without the help of government, it contributed to the development a sense of self-reliance. This concept is particularly prevailing value hold by the older generation (i.e. Those who born in the Post War Baby Boom). From the above discussion, we can see two sets of contradictory social values of welfare have developed in Hong Kong. On one hand, more people consider social welfare as their civil rights. On the other hand, people stigmatize some welfare recipients. It makes the rights of accessing welfare become alienated from the civil rights. These two contradictory values lead to different conflicts in society. Social workers, pressure groups and non-government organizations are striving for destigmatization of the welfare recipients. Lots of social actions like social demonstration and public forum are used to promote this civil rights. But at the same time, the government is attempting to marginalize the welfare recipients in order to reduce the welfare expenditure. From time to time, the government would publish the fraud and abusive case in CSSA. It seems that it wants to remind people that abusive cases are still common in welfare system. These, in turn, led to never-ending debates between the two interest groups. As seen in above discussion, it is hard to find a consensus towards the value of welfare in Hong Kong. The historical background, personal experiences and education would have a strong influence on the development of our value. But it seems that government would spread concepts and ideas that deviated from the principles of social welfare equality and equity, because its political agenda. Whether the ultimate goal of government is bring a stable and harmonious society in Hong Kong is questionable.

surgeon general :: essays research papers

There are many leaders in the United States today. These men and women help to form the nation into what it is today and what it will be in the future. One of these important leaders of the United States is the Surgeon General. The Surgeon General has many responsibilities and priorities that form our nation’s Public Health System. These responsibilities and priorities of the Surgeon General will be explained throughout this paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the Reader’s Digest Encyclopedia the Surgeon General is the chief medical officer for the United States Public Health System. This means that since 1871 the Surgeon General has been the nation’s leading spokesman on matters of public health. The first person to hold the position of Surgeon General was Dr. John Woodworth. Dr. Woodworth put together a group of physicians to assist him with health issues. The Congress recognized these men and women as the Commissioned Corps.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the years the position of Surgeon General has changed in many ways. In 1873 the official title of the Surgeon General was changed to Supervising Surgeon General and then back to just Surgeon General in 1902. According to Funk and Wagnall’s New Encyclopedia the Surgeon General was the head of the Public Health System and reported directly to the Secretary of Health. After 1968 the Surgeon General reported to the Assistant Secretary of Health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The current Surgeon General for the United States is Dr. David Satcher. He was born in Anniston, Alabama on March second 1941. Dr. Satcher, his wife Nola, and his four children live in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Satcher received his M.D. and PhD from Case Western Reserve University in 1970. Dr. Satcher is the sixteenth Surgeon General and also the first African American man to hold this position. Fourteen men and two women have held the position since it originated in 1871. Dr. Satcher was sworn in on February thirteenth 1998 and his term will end in February 2002. He also held the position of Secretary of Health from February 1998 to January 2001. He was also the Surgeon General at this time. According to the Official Surgeon General website, Dr. Satcher has many jobs and responsibilities. First off his job is to administer the U.S. Public Health System. This is a group of public health professionals who respond to current and long-term health needs of the Nation. Dr. Satcher also provides leadership and management to the Public Health Service in the field of emergency preparedness and response activities.

Nature of Gender Relations in the United States Essay

Like the nationals of all other countries, Americans have over the years developed a strongly gendered culture. Right from childhood, males are taught how to behave as males while females learn how to be feminine. Masculinity is often associated with machoism, strength and aggression. Gender relations are clearly evident in the heterosexual dating scene where masculinity is expected of men while feminity is expected of women (Zurbriggen, 2009). There exists a notable link between the prevalence of rape and gender relations. Women and children are at the highest risk of rape. Most victims are raped by relatives, friends, or people they know. Many are raped several times before they either report the assault or it becomes difficult to keep it secret, for instance when they get pregnant or a venereal disease (Abbey et al. , 2004). To understand why people are victimized by those they are close to, one needs to look back at the violators’ developmental stages. Males learn early in life that they are supposed to be more powerful than the rest. The resulting gender rigidity leads men to rape or use violence to control and intimidate women (McGlynn, 2008; Zurbriggen, 2009). Men thus find it easier to justify rape and violence against vulnerable spouses, children, friends and other relatives. Male victims of rape and males who choose to have sex with other males do not fit in as men and are often treated as women (Bonthuys, 2008). This implies that according to males, rape can only happen to non-males. America remains a largely patriarchal society which means that relations between members of society are still skewed in favor of men. Gender is seen in most aspects of everyday Americans’ lives and domination of men over women is evident in domestic relations as well as in formal institutions (Seymour, 2009). While it boasts of being one of the longest democracies, the United States of America hosts a society which is still characterized gender relations which favour males at the expense of other members of society, thereby sneaking in the ‘justification’ for men to hold power over and control other members of society. References Abbey, A. , Beshears, R. , Clinton-Sherrod, A. & McAuslan, P. (2004). Similarities and Differences in Women’s Sexual Assault Experiences Based on Tactics Used by the Perpetrator. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 28: pp 323-332. Bonthuys, E. (2008). Putting Gender into the Definition of Rape or Taking it Out? Feminist Legal Studies 16: pp 249-260. McGlynn, C. (2008). Rape as ‘Torture’? Catherine Mackinnon and Questions of Feminist Strategy. Feminist Legal Studies 16: pp 71-85. Seymour, K. (2009). Women, Gendered Work and Gendered Violence: So Much More than a Job. Gender, Work and Organization, Vol. 16, No. 2: pp 238-265. Zurbriggen, E. (2009). Understanding and Preventing Adolascent Dating Violence: The Importance of Developmental, Sociocultural, and Gendered Perspectives. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33: pp 30-33.

Yoga Meditation and its Effect on the Mind Body - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1920 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/07/31 Category Sports Essay Level High school Topics: Yoga Essay Did you like this example? Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness. Yoga [and meditation] shows the way (S.V. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Yoga Meditation and its Effect on the Mind Body" essay for you Create order Saraswati). Mental health is a prominent social issue currently, and our mental state is often overwhelmed with the stresses of various aspects of life such as doing well in school, meeting deadlines, maintaining relationships, and building a better future for ourselves. The mind is a complicated element of our body that enables us to be aware of the world and our experiences, to think, to feel, and is a faculty of our consciousness and thoughts. Good physical health is often times more sought after than good mental health. Its pursuit is seen as normal and physical ailments are regarded as more curable. Good mental health, on the other hand, is not given the same amount of importance and this can result in various mental health issues that are often stigmatized and not addressed in an appropriate manner. We view mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, etc., as weaknesses and a sign of failure when in reality they are ailments that can be addressed through the pract ice of yoga and meditation. Yoga is a multifaceted system for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (Yoga Alliance, What is Yoga?). Yoga is commonly known in the form of Hatha yoga, a combination of poses and breathing techniques. Today, millions of people practice yoga to improve the quality of their life in the following ways: fitness, stress relief, wellness, vitality, mental clarity, healing, peace of mind and spiritual growth (Yoga Alliance, What is Yoga?). Overall, yoga is a combination of various methods and guidance for living a healthy and enriched life. On the other hand, meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within (Rama, The Real Meaning of Meditation). Yoga and meditation can benefit ones mental state under stress, regulate bodily systems such as the cardiovascular system, and is practiced for ones own spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being. However, a popular misconception is that yoga is simply a form of exercise. Prejudices non-Hindus may have towards practicing yoga and meditation is that they believe that simply engaging in the practice will conflict with their religious and cultural beliefs. The development and science behind yoga and meditation techniques originated at the beginning of human civilization when man first realized his spiritual potential and began to evolve techniques to develop it in the Indus Saraswati Valley civilization back in 2700 BCE (S.S. Saraswati, pg 3). Although the ultimate aim of these techniques is not widely understood in popular culture, one of the many benefits is overcoming all kinds of suffering such as stress, anxiety, etc., through a variety of methods to help human beings cope with mental instability. According to a Harvard Mental Health Letter, yoga along with other self-soothing techniques such as meditation, relaxation, and exercise regulates the minds stress response systems. When practicing yoga, deep breathing, which is an important aspect of yoga and meditation, sends a message to the brain to calm down and relax. According to Mayo Clinic, meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine and can produce a dee p mental state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. An elementary school in Baltimore, Maryland has shown how yoga and meditation can contribute to mental stability, mindfulness, and calmness. Robert W. Coleman Elementary School implemented yoga and meditation techniques to correct its students behavior rather than send them to detention. The effect of these techniques is clearly evident through the positive feedback received from some of the students at the elementary school. It was found that by going to the Mindful Moment Room, the students [built] an ability to be mindful and calm. And in the face of so much adversity, some of these children are coming out ahead (Bloom, Instead of detention, these students get meditation). Similar to the emotions and feelings we experience in times of danger or during high pressure situations, the kids at Coleman Elementary School often deal with high-stress situations and come to school on high alert. Their bodies alarm system is switched way on, so they may be primed for fight or flight and not able to sit calmly and pay attention (Bloom, Instead of detention, these students get meditation). Yoga and meditation served to be really beneficial by easing psychological stressors such as anxiety, depression, and pain of these students. Not only do the children at Coleman Elementary experience the positive difference yoga and meditation have brought into their lives but also have done wonders for their learning environment and productivity. According to one student, when the kids come down here, theyre all rowdy and goofing around, [however], when they leave the room, theyre peaceful and quiet and ready to do their work. Yoga is the science of right living and, as such, is intended to be incorporated in daily life as it works on all aspects of the person: the physical, vital, mental, emotional, psychic, and spiritual (S.S. Saraswati, pg 1). The influence of yoga and meditation on the body ranges from the outermost aspect of a person starting with the physical body to the innermost: spiritual, oneness with God. Besides stress and anxiety, people suffer from other mental instabilities such as phobias, irrational fears, and neuroses. Though yoga and meditation may not be able to cure these issues, these techniques present a proven method for coping with them (S.S. Saraswati, pg 2). Yogas impact on mental health is not limited to just the mind but both the mind and body. According to Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the gross form of the mind is the body and the subtle form of the body is the mind. This is further explained through this example: emotional tensions and suppression can tighten up and block the smooth functioning of the lungs, diaphragm, and breathing process, contributing to a very debilitating illness in the form of asthma (S.S. Saraswati, pg 11). Therapeutically, yoga and meditation have been successful as they create a balance between the nervous and endocrine systems in the body. A common misconception is that yoga is simply a form of exercise. However, thats not the case as yoga consists of various techniques in which the body is placed in positions that increase awareness, relaxation, concentration, and meditation. Additionally, yoga is in fact something that mixes awareness and concentration with movement. In other words, yoga is moving meditation. Meditation is practiced for the betterment of ones spiritual, emotional, and mental growth. In a meditative state, the brain experiences an increase in activity in regions directly related to decreased anxiety and depression as well as increased pain tolerance. When the brain is in a more relaxed state, ones memory, self-awareness, goal setting, and empathy improves. Physically, the brain also changes in shape and size as a result of the practice of meditation. According to Moffit and Brown, meditators have higher levels of alpha waves, which results in reduced feelings of negative mood, tension, sadness, and anger. Telomeres are protective protein complexes that help reduce damage to our DNA and lower cell death. Telomeres that are shortened in length appear to be correlated to diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimers and cancer (Moffit Brown, The Scientific Power of Meditation). Meditation often results in significant increases in telomere length. Although med itation has many health benefits, it is not a substitute for medical advice. While working out at the gym exercises the physical body, meditation offers a relaxing workout for the mind. Furthermore, meditation offers promising benefits for the cardiovascular system. Research tells us that meditation can help lower blood pressure, which alludes to the strong possibility of other benefits for the entire cardiovascular system. According to Dr. Kubzansky, evidence seems to suggest that people who endure chronic stress are intoxicating their cardiovascular system. Additionally, results from a report of a compilation of nine studies show that on average, transcendental meditation lowered systolic blood pressure by 4.7 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 3.2 mm Hg compared with other approaches (Balaji, Can calming your mind help your heart?). Another benefit is that meditation boosts heart rate variability, which is a positive byproduct, because it is a sign of a healthy heart; a healthy heart normally responds to the bodys constantly changing environment. Some non-Hindus may have apprehensions to practicing yoga and meditation because of the presence of a murti (loosely translated as ?idol) of the Hindu deity, Shiva, who is known as the first yogi and some chanting in Sanskrit in yoga studios. They think that these techniques are a covert conversion tool to make one a Hindu. A recent trend is that Mindfulness programs have become popular on K-12 campuses, but in some parts of the country concerns about religious intrusion keep the trend at bay (Wong, Why Schools Are Banning Yoga). Wong observes that a disruption in the trend points towards yoga classes promoting a non-Christian belief system through multiple aspects including the namaste greeting and various postures that have Sanskrit names. Opponents to yoga and meditation techniques tend to believe that the line between yogas roots in Hinduism and Buddhism and secular practices is often blurry. Furthermore, religious influences such as chanting ?om and poses with Sanskrit names are inherently tied to yoga and meditation. On the other hand, proponents of such practices focus on the benefits rather than abstaining from the practice because of religious influences. A major benefit is that it teaches children to divert their mind from negative thoughts or emotions. Also, yoga helps to augment kids working memory, attention span, and cognitive flexibility, which helps students respond to stress in a confident manner and do well in school. In Hindu American Foundation (HAF) 2011 campaign, Take Back Yoga, the main argument is centered around the origins of the practice of yoga being in Hinduism. Vitello found that while some of the sources favored yoga as the legacy of a more timeless, spiritual ?Indian wisdom and that Hinduism was too ?tribal and ?self-enclosed to claim ownership of yoga, others, who are in favor of HAFs Take Back Yoga campaign, believe that yoga was first described in Hinduisms seminal texts and remains at the core of Hindu teaching (Vitello, Hindu Group Stirs a Debate Over Yogas Soul). The prejudice or prior belief that non-Hindus often hold against the practice of yoga is that it will put the souls of the non-Hindus at risk of being imperiled by simply engaging in it. On the contrary, the purpose of HAFs Take Back Yoga campaign is merely to have yoga recognized as a practice that has its roots in Hinduism, and not as a mechanism of conversion to Hinduism. Exposure to yoga and meditation has shown that through the regular practice of yoga and meditation, the mind is more relaxed and calm. The practice can leave a person feeling energized with mental stamina to take on the stress of school work, meeting deadlines, maintaining relationships, and working towards building a healthier lifestyle and prosperous future. Overall, yoga and meditation help cope with ones mental state under stress, regulate bodily systems such as the cardiovascular system, and is practiced for ones own spiritual, emotional, and mental health. As B.K.S. Iyengar, a yoga teacher and founder of ?Iyengar Yoga, once said, Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.