As my own practice and teaching changes and evolves, I feel a sense of responsibility to share "true yoga". I have been traveling the country to soak up the knowledge of teachers who have served as monks and swamis, who have without a hesitation committed themselves to silent retreats annually, and who are sharing and practicing what they know based on a lifetime of dedication and practice. Aside from that, I have sat side by side by amazing Yoga students and teachers who are like myself, learning, evolving and hoping to share the side of Yoga that our communities can truly benefit from, but perhaps just don't know it yet. Therefore, I would like to take a moment to thank my amazing teachers, and cohorts, for helping to guide the way.
So what is there to gain in Yoga other then flexibility, stamina, strength, and a "yoga body"? Enlightenment is available to those who seek it. However the psycho-emotional and mental benefits of a Yoga practice are more accessible then one may think. Most of us have already felt a sense of stress relief in our own unique way after attending Yoga class. Some seek to go a little further, and others are not yet sure how.
The ancient Yogis have discovered what it takes to find everlasting Joy; "According to Yoga philosophy, enduring happiness can only come when we stop identifying with the incessant thoughts and feelings of the personality self (small s, the ego)....The Sutras proclaim that all of our struggles in life are because we have forgotten the truth of our being and have strayed into a belief of separation and inadequency. Suffering will continue until we realize that our real nature is not matieral but spiritual, and that we cannot possibly be separated from joy and peace, because they exist within our consciousness rather than in the external world" (Jennie Lee True Yoga 11). Yoga believes that we need not seek outside of ourselves for joy and happiness, that it is already an essential part of our being, not to be created, rather to be remembered by peeling back the layers that have been interwoven since birth. This does not mean to no longer enjoy the things we have identified ourselves with, it means not to IDENTIFY with them, because they are not who you truly are.
If you went to Yoga class to get fit or loose weight, don't berade yourself :). Many of us found our way to the Yoga studio for this very reason. There is nothing wrong with seeking a happy and healthy body. Yoga believes the Physical body is one of 5 layers of our being to be nurtured and cared for. Yoga can absolutely help you to become fit, but before you walk away from the practice because of an injury, illness, or simply lost interest, remember that you are more then your physical body, and your Yoga practice has your best interests in mind, if only we let it.
In the Yoga Therapy practice, the focus is on adapting the practice to the individual, not the individual to the practice. This is the ancient Yogis wish, the original way to practice Yoga. Many traditions today already practice in this way and some are on their way back.
This is much more to be said on this topic, but to seal off my first blog post I will quote Gary Kraftsow, a pioneer in Yoga Therapy: "Keep an attitude open to investigation, experimentation, and discovery, and your practice will stay alive and fresh- and, in a gradual progressive way, become and endlessly fruitful ground for experience, learning, and growth."
Be well & Namaste,
Amy
Resources to deepen your practice:
"True Yoga" by Jennie Lee
"The Secret Power of Yoga" By Nischala Joy Devi
"The Yoga Sutras" by Pantanjali