WHAT IS YOGA? It is a question that starts many of us on this path.. a journey of ten thousand miles that begins with the ground beneath your feet - wherever you might find yourself. Yoga is an ever-expanding, somewhat undefinable, uncontainable force of LOVE & positive change. Often and correctly referred to as UNION, It also means something different to everyone.
Yoga is an experience that teaches how to experience life. it is subtle and strong. As an Asana practise, It can be fiercely hot & intense or soothingly calm & clearing. As a Pranayama practise, it teaches us how to take responsibility of our lives, as it opens us up to consider, perhaps for the first time, what is breath?
“YOGA - state of union between two opposite poles, such as SHIVA & SHAKTI, body and mind, individual and universal awareness; process of uniting opposing forces in the body and mind in order to realize the spiritual essence of being. ”
One of the first questions we ask new online yoga students is “what is yoga?” Yoga means so many things to so many different people - each experience is as unique as the individual soul walking the path. But yoga is also an Ancient Science and Art. Teachings that have not only stood the test of time, but were so far ahead of their time that most of the teachings could not be shared until more recent times.
Yoga has spread throughout the world in an effort to bring those of us who are ready to the mat. This is where most of us start, but not all of us. The many different limbs and disciplines of yoga open the soul to the full range of human experience and divine co-creation with Source. There are many different kinds of yoga teachers in this world and our program is designed to be self-guided for that very reason.
Finding your own yogic path is simply about meeting the most wonderful teacher you’ve ever known - yourself!
Yoga will meet you where you are in life. Whether at your fittest physically or not, your happiest or saddest. Young or old, weak or strong, rich or poor, the teachings found in sacred texts are timeless. Every day we step on the mat, we are different. Every posture is union within, a prayer to the divine, gratitude for being alive. On the mat we come to meet ourselves, and for many, this is what yoga means to them. A wonderful, enriching and health supporting physical practise, but if you feel the call to go deeper, whether you want to be a teacher, we invite you to explore the many, MANY ways to practise yoga! On and off the mat!
As teachers we guide each other in our practises but we remain students for life. Our definition of what yoga is provides a wonderful clue as to how far we’ve come in our journeys on this sacred and exciting path! We hope you enjoy the entries from students, teachers and healers.
Please enjoy the growing collection of WHAT IS YOGA JOURNALS! We hope they will help you discover your own, unique yogic path!
Namaste!
“Yoga is the union of the individual’s unit consciousness with the Infinite Consciousness. The definition of a yogi is a person who has totally leaned on the Supreme Consciousness, which is God, until he or she has merged the unit self with the Infinite Self. That is all it means.
Some people think yoga is a religion. Some people think it is physical exercise for vitality and health. Some people think it is a psychological system that develops the potential of the psyche. In reality, this is all based on misunderstanding. Yoga is essentially a relationship.”
