What is yoga?
Yoga is TRANSFORMATIVE. Yoga is healing. ANYONE can do yoga. I am a yoga therapist. I work with all levels of physical abilities. It is not about how it looks, it is about how it feels. How the student feels. Movement with awareness is medicine. We operate with a very small percentage of our full capacity. Due to trauma or negative feedback of some form, which most of us had at least a little of growing up, we shut down part of our aliveness along the way. We hide parts of our true selves to feel safe. We resist, deny, escape, run, block, blame: whatever dulls the sensation of feeling the full range of our feelings. Yoga invites us to FEEL back within ourselves, to remember, to realign with our true nature. It helps reassemble the parts that may have been tucked away or put in deep storage. We can then operate from a more cohesive and conscious place. This is healing. Yoga teaches us to witness ourselves, to explore, to surrender, to stay the course … The blocked feelings trap a tremendous amount of life force or energy. There is enormous freedom in feeling ones feelings.
Yoga is revealing. The good – the bad – the ugly – the pure – the beautiful – the sweet – the raw – all aspects of your personality surface when you do yoga. You meet these parts of your self with acceptance and curiosity or frustration and guilt.
Yoga teaches us to be with and greet ourselves in the moment.
Yoga is sustaining, compelling, nourishing … it is a good addiction. Once most people start they want more. Why stop at the appetizer? Have the whole meal, all the courses. There are 8 limbs to yoga or 8 yoga branches. Most people know about stretching and breathing; maybe about meditation. That makes 3 branches and there are 5 more. The more subtle teachings of mental focus, sense withdrawal, meditation and deep relaxation are very rich, nutritious and take years or lifetimes to explore. There is always more to discover with yoga!
Yoga is LIFE ENERGY. Yoga is VITALITY
Yoga practiced with awareness and with a compassionate, skilled teacher transforms. It increases energy flow, releases blocks and restores feeling safe and whole. Yoga repairs the nervous system: organs mend, hearts heal, trauma releases, muscles strengthen and bones realign. Yoga builds confidence. It brings balance. It is like a tune up for your whole being. Yoga is a fully integrating experience using sound, breath, intentions, movement, discipline, lifestyle and community. There is no limit to what can happen with yoga. I fully believe this.
Is yoga exercise? YES. Is it a spiritual path? Yes it can be. Is it healing? Yes. Is yoga a religion? NO. Is yoga a lifestyle? MAYBE? Is yoga meditation? Yes. Do you have to be a vegetarian? No. Is yoga a cult? No. Is yoga fun? Mostly Yes. Is yoga about personal responsibility? Definitely …
Yoga is everything … it is mainly what you make it. Enjoy your yoga journey. May your practice be a constant source of healing, joy and revelation. It is a pleasure to share some of my current ideas on this vast topic.
