Yoga is
about finding balance. In fact, the word yoga is taken from the Sanskrit
word "yug" which means "to yoke" or "to join" - joining together of two equal
but opposite things or ideas into a balanced whole. The integration of the
mind & the body,
the
past & the present,
masculine & feminine,
strength & flexibility,
to name but a few.
Many people have a tendency to equate the practice of yoga with the goal of
placing the body in pretzel-like positions and contortions when in actuality
it's not at all about goals or learning to tie our bodies in knots.
" Before you learn to stand on your head,
you need to learn to stand on your own two feet."
Swami
Satchidananda
Balanced in the present moment.
Yoga is a process, not a goal.
It's not about trying to look like a picture in some book, but about learning
about your own body and cultivating that mind-body connection. The physical
is a reflection of the mental and spiritual. When the output of action does
not balance with the input, we experience stress. Hatha yoga attenpts to
bring the input and output into balance.
We, as human beings, exist as a polarity. This is epitomized by the very word
Hatha. "Ha" means Sun in Sanskrit -
Heat/Light/Energy/Creativity/Action/Passion
"Tha" means Moon in Sanskrit -
Cool/Reflective/Receptive/Intuitive/Accepting
We move from one extreme to the other.
The process of yoga is to lead us into balance and harmony of this polarity.
The asanas or postures are a discipline for the body, exerting effects on the
mind. Positive effects not only on the mind and the emotions, but on the
muscles, organs and glands as well. They have a balancing effect upon the
nervous system, making us better able to deal with stress. They increase our
flexibility, improve our circulation, strengthern our muscles, aid in
digestion, support stress-related conditions and improve our breathing
capacity and the elasticity of our lungs.
The health community has realized that a high-impact aerobic work-out creates
more injuries than benefits - in the knees, low backs and ankles. Yoga lasts
for a liftime unlike many sports that we may need to abandon as we age. But
the benefits far exceed enhancing our physical health and mental activity to
promoting emotional balance and spiritual awareness. It provides a way to
feel peaceful in this chaotic world in which we live.
Yoga is neither political or religious. Anyone can practice it regardless of
age, sex or physical condition. Yoga evolved initially as an oral tradition
which was taught one on one so that the teaching was passed directly from
teacher to student. Today, there are many fine books and tapes about yoga
which are very useful whether you are a beginner or a continuing student. But
a teacher can provide that personal guidance and instruction that you may not
find in the pages of a book. You make your own choice as to what will work
best for you. And if you do decide that you would like to try a yoga class,
please utilize our directory of teachers. There you will find representatives
of a variety of styles of yoga from the strengthening yet relaxing focus of
classical yoga, to the dynamic pace of astanga yoga and the alignment-oriented requirements of an Iyengar class. Please feel free to make inquiries
of any of the teachers so that you can learn more.
Practicing yoga and meditation is not about withdrawing from the world, it's
about how to embrace life more fully - how to accomplish more without getting
stressed in the process. It is the process of joining the ordinary with the
extraordinary during our daily life. Yoga is a tool for learning to notice
and challenge our perceived limitations, giving us the opportunity to suspend
our beliefs about what we can and cannot do.
"Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."
Johann Wolfgang van
Goethe
The above article was written by Christine, a certified yoga teacher in the Denver area.
