Most of us turn to yoga looking for fitness, better sleep, weight loss, stress management, relief from back pain, etc. What we might not realise is that there are many other benefits that the practice will invariably bring. Better health is just a byproduct. Yoga promotes the development of awareness and awakening of higher states of consciousness. It integrates mind, body and emotions helping individuals to become more whole, integrated and fulfilled.
Being able to get yourself into pretzel shapes is not what yoga is all about. That's preparatory, benefitial but not the core of yoga. The practice of asana (postures) can be considered the anteroom of yoga.
Originally, yoga was devised as an instrument to help raising consciousness and liberating individualsfrom illusion and suffering. The objective of the posture work was to free the body from toxins and to prepare it for seating for extended periods in meditation without discomfort.
Breathing techniques (pranayama) were also designed to help getting the mind into a state of calm and stillness. In this state the individual could get a glimpse into the soul, beyond the veil of illusion.That's was the real yoga, the royal yoga, the royal path. The system was devised 1,500 years ago by a sage called Patanjali. It was an almost a secret science.
Originally, yoga was devised as an instrument to help raising consciousness and liberating individualsfrom illusion and suffering. The objective of the posture work was to free the body from toxins and to prepare it for seating for extended periods in meditation without discomfort.
Breathing techniques (pranayama) were also designed to help getting the mind into a state of calm and stillness. In this state the individual could get a glimpse into the soul, beyond the veil of illusion.That's was the real yoga, the royal yoga, the royal path. The system was devised 1,500 years ago by a sage called Patanjali. It was an almost a secret science.
Whatever the stage we are in our practice, it is certain that sooner or later the practice will work its magic. Practice, discipline, consistency will open the door to the real yoga, the yoga of the mind, of the heart, of the spirit, and integration will inevitably occur. The reassuring thing is that in our era there are no chosen few, yoga is inclusive, all dependent on your own efforts.
