Yoga is not only the postures we do on the mat, classically, yoga is a way of life. Yoga means to yoke or to find the union. Union is becoming whole again, realizing our self worth and living in a clear state of reality. Becoming whole is recognizing that every living being is ultimately equal to any other being. When we are united in reality we know that even though we may look and act differently to other people, ultimately when we get down to the bare bones of reality we are all the same. What unites us and makes us equal is the energy that we come from, that sustains our life and the same energy that we go back to when this body dies. This energy is prana and the most abundant way to receive prana (fullness of life) is to breathe deeply. Our breath is clear and therefore deep breathing promotes clarity and an open spacious mind.
Yoga teaches us that happiness is not out there in the external world to be obtained. It does not depend on our job, looks or relationship, but instead happiness comes from a peaceful power within. We often go through trauma in our life because we continue to grasp at material things and relationships in our desperation for happiness and when we lose this false sense of security we lose our feeling of self worth and identity.
Before we know unity and sameness we long to feel loved and liked by everyone and want to be respected by everyone also. In our yearning we forget that all other beings are going through the same process. In our desperation we forget to treat other people with the same love and respect that we expect from them. And so it becomes a vicious circle.
Yoga is an act of kindness, not only to our self but to the world we live in. It takes reputation to turn practice into a natural response. With consistent practice we can replace negative responses to life with positive habits.
In Sanskrit habits are called Samskaras they are like modes of operation' we have some modes that work well for us and others that are more disruptive. Often our modes of operation present themselves on the mat. When we come to the mat with anger we realize that we feel uncomfortable and rigid in our body; our practice on those days is not as light and graceful as the days when we are joyful. The Buddha who appreciated the path of Yoga taught that holding onto anger is like grasping at a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else, but instead we are the one who gets burnt. Traditionally the yoga practice was intended to physically prepare and purify the body and mind for meditation. The full spectrum of yoga is a system created to bring us back to a clear vision of reality where we live our life full of breath and abundance!
by Caroline Kelley
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