“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
The art and understanding of how to live in alignment with ourselves and our world is addressed, perfected and gifted to the world through the yoga philosophy contained in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. These teachings are thousands of years old, yet still so relevant to the human experience at all times of life. The Sutras are guidelines which describe the inner workings of the mind, the role of the body and the awareness of the spirit itself. They provide a tangible means of living a life of balance, growth and expanded understanding. The serve as a handbook for living a truly inspired life. A life where we expand beyond our limiting thoughts and tap into the power of the spirit.
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”
-Bhagavad Gita
The practice of yoga is the practice that takes the practitioner on an inward journey to seek truth. Asking and addressing the questions of,
“Who am I? and What am I here for?”
The word yoga by definition means to yolk or to bring things together. Ultimately to achieve a state of union where all parts of the self are in direct communication and connection. In modern day life, there are so many demands and many are feeling fragmented, unsure about the direction of their lives. Yoga asks the practitioner to begin making different choices to live skillfully and in full awareness.
“Yoga is skill in action.”
-Bhagavad Gita
Yoga’s ultimate intention is to achieve Freedom. The practice of yoga is far more than most realize. The asana or physical posturing is only one small aspect of this practice. The purpose of the asana is to reign in and balance the physical body. In that a practitioner can achieve a state of physical health and begin to address or possibly for the first time become aware of the other aspects of themselves. When you come into contact with the body in a skillful and mindful way the whole experience of life can take on a new shape. The body is then cared for as the vehicle of the soul itself. The practice of yoga connects and directs you to the divine one within. In turning the attention inward one finds a center of spirit. The spirit seeks to live in balance throughout every aspect of life. When you step onto the path of yoga, know you have begun a practice of transformation and self-realization.
“The body is my temple, the asanas are my prayers.”
-B.KS Iyengar
Yoga seeks to satisfy the hunger for deeper and more enriching lives and deeper and more enriching relationships. When you learn who you truly are, the relationship with everything changes. You are not meant to get lost in the physical, but rather allow the physical practice to encourage the body as the vehicle of the soul to be strong, healthy and in balance. When our bodies are healthy, our minds follow suit. When our minds are clear it is possible to get a glimpse of the divine light within the heart of all mankind. Each practice begins and ends with a simple word.
Namaste’
“The divine light within me acknowledges and recognizes the divine light within you.”
It creates the intention of: “Now, as we begin the practice of yoga together and we take away anything that blocks us from seeing that light within each other.”
If you're blessed enough to have Yoga enter into your life know that you are also being blessed with a divine gift. The ancient teachings of Yoga carry a wisdom thousands of years old, yet still apply and even more so apply to our modern-day life.
You are blessed to have found this path. Thank you to all the teachers that have gone before us, thank you for the teachings that will change us, and let Yoga be a guideline, the handbook to assist you and living the most inspired, purpose filled life. The life you were destined for.
The best place to get started is to find a Yoga class in your area. A great teacher and strong community are the foundation to this life-changing practice to take root. You may also want to read more on the Yamas and Niyamas of yoga. I have special events monthly for Yoga.
Namaste' beautiful soul,
~ Felicia
I am inspired, thank you. As I address the “harmony” question you asked, I know that I must give more attention to my physical body.