Do you think yoga is something that you practice while in a class or with dedicated time on your yoga mat? The true practice of yoga goes well beyond those bounds and is integrated into your way of life, your everyday habits, beliefs and behaviours.
When translated from Sanskrit, yoga means union. It is a practice to unite the mind, body and spirit, as well at the individual with the universal consciousness. B.K.S. Iyengar says it beautifully in his book ‘The Tree of Yoga’:
Yoga means union. The union of the individual soul with the Universal Spirit is yoga. But this is too abstract a notion to be easily understood, so for our level of understanding I say that yoga is the union of body with the mind and of mind with the soul.
B.K.S. Iyengar
The practice of yoga is lifelong, a journey of continual learning and discovery. No matter how often you practice or how you choose to practice, you will learn something new in every class and from every teacher, even if the teacher is yourself.
In yoga you are working with your body, to move into the postures (asanas). You generate energy from movement, strength from holding postures and stretch and release through lengthening and compressing your muscles and joints. All of which have immense benefits to your health and wellbeing.
These movements and postures are not confined to the mat or yoga class. You can use these practices in your everyday, to move more, to release tension that builds up and to build a stronger and fitter body to carry you through life. Next time you feel tense or stressed sitting at your computer, try stopping and standing for some gentle movement, take your favourite yoga pose and see how it feels in your body.
Breath is central to the physical practice of yoga (pranayama). If you are not moving with the breath, you are using it to guide you. Your breath is an indicator of your mental and physical state. For example, a shallow or constricted breath can indicate that you are under stress. With breath practices you can assist your body to move out of a stress response into relaxation. Next time you notice yourself in a state of stress, stop and sit quietly taking 5-10 rounds of conscious deep inhales with complete and long exhales. Breathing consciously and fully will tell your body it is okay to relax and reduce your stress response.
There are so many ways that you can integrate the teachings of yoga into your daily life, I could go on for days! But I will leave this blog here and revisit this topic again. Yoga has had a profound impact on my life and I love to share my personal insights and learnings. In my classes I reference simple practices that can be used off the mat as I hope to help my students to find their own way to take yoga off the mat.
Xo
Jo