Thursday, June 3, 2010

Yoga (reflections on what yoga is)

Yoga is trully poetic. Everything about it has both a literal & symbolic level. There is room for personal meaning, universal meaning and connection to the deepest & broadest views of our reality.

Yoga is an ever-evolving science. It is a fluid, living body of knowledge that changes as to adapt to the needs and circumstances of the practitioner. Thus, it has come from Hindu & Buddhist roots in India, originally only practiced by men, to be practiced by men, women & children of many faiths & backgrounds, all over the world.

Practicing mindfullness, especially mindfullness of the breath, is the center of it all. Slowly our attention becomes very astute, we can feel & experience everything more deeply. Life becomes sharper & more vivid. Through mindfullness we learn to slowly align ourselves in harmony with nature & our own deepest values. We have peace, contetment, fulfilment, greater love, creativity, physical & mental well-being.

Yoga is the catalyst for wholeness in life. Yoga awakens true "joie de vivre". It teaches us to be mindfull- to pay attention to the actual moment we are experiencing, instead of being washed away by mind-clutter. Then the true gems, the inspired thoughts, can shine through, and we can bask in the light of awareness truly & thoroughly savoring our blessing of life.

The stretching, the fit body it brings is a side benefit, and helps bring more health & thus more positive feelings. The confidence, strength, good posture & acceptance it fosters go even further to increase positive energy. But make no mistake, yoga truly is a mind-expanding experience, a pilgrimage. It is a way to journey, shedding the unneccesary, the meaningless, the harmful and the out-dated, finding the place within you and outside of you where only meaningful things dwell. This is a wholeness that no amount of stuff, status or credit can bring.

Yoga is only the tool, the practitioner is the artist, crafting a meaningful life through simply honoring the truth found & proved along the way.

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