WHAT IS YOGA?

So, lets start from the beginning...

The best description I have heard which resonated with me as a westerner is: 

“Yoga is the science of the union of mind and body.” What does that mean?

I want you to be very clear on what yoga is. In order to apply what you will be learning you have to understand what it is. 

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN...

A science- that means it is not a religion. Yoga is not composed of religious beliefs. No matter what your religion is, you can practice yoga without it interfering with your religious beliefs. 

Union- the joining and becoming one

Mind- the thoughts and therefore the “states of mind” and feelings

Body- the physical – arms, legs, etc. 

So our goal is to unite body with the mind. A mind which is relaxed and balanced, free of judgment and ready to pass that balance along to the body as they are one. 

What we think has an effect on our bodies. If your mind is filled with negative, fearful thoughts, your body will become stressed. Stress will breed dis-ease. If on the other hand you can replace negative thoughts with relaxing, balanced thoughts, your body will be balanced as well. 

Stress is the result of our perception of a situation. What to one person, can be an adventure, to another can be a dangerous situation. What to one person is a challenge to another is a problem. Are you following this? It’s not the stress that creates problems; it’s our perception with fear of a situation. I’m not saying that there are no problems, or that they are not real. What I am saying is that we can resolve them without stressing our minds and bodies. When we come to a bump in the road we drive over it. It may slow us down, but that’s ok. 

We have learned that our bodies and minds are two separate entities; Involved in separate processes. But, if you take a moment and really give it some thought it won’t take you long to realize how ridiculous a notion this is. Unless the mind sends the right signals we can’t move our legs. If the mind doesn’t coordinate properly, our vision, speech, and other body parts will not function properly. Yes, this is done without any apparent thought process, but it is in fact the mind which does it. 

IN LEARNING YOGA...

You learn the way in which your mind and body are intertwined and connected. In order to have a healthy body you must have a healthy mind. 

You learn the effect of breath on the body. 

You learn the power of your thoughts, but you also learn the importance of giving your mind a break. 

You learn that the space between the thoughts is more important than the thoughts themselves in your journey to healing. 

Your learning process will be split up into parts; every part being as important as the other one. Neglecting one would have an impact on the success of the others. You will learn asanas, breathing techniques and meditations. Each plays a very important roll. 

Depending on your ability level is how you will progress. It is important that you always keep in mind that everyone’s body is different. There is no room for comparison. You do what your body and mind allow and you will progress with practice. Within that frame also keep in mind that some days are better than others and that’s ok, just do your best. There is no room for stress or fretting over your progress. Diligently practice every day and progress will be made in the way it needs to happen. Let go and let it happen... enjoy...