What is Yoga?

Yoga is a 5000-year-old science of self-awareness that teaches people the art of balance in an unbalanced world. Yoga means “to yoke”, union, and bring together. It also means relationship. In the eightfold practice of yoga, we can move through each limb of yoga as a relationship.

1. Yama: Relationship to others.
2. Niyama: Relationship to our higher power.
3. Asana: Relationship to our body-mind.
4. Pranayama: Relationship to our breath.
5. Pratyahara: Relationship to our senses.
6. Dharana: Meditation practice.
7. Dhyana: State of Meditation
8. Samadhi: Experience of Yoga(union)

When I ask our students what yoga means to them, the answers are always different, but they usually fall under one of these "limbs of yoga."

I can't help but look at this model for connection and feel a sense of sadness, as to just how far we have to go in our world to experience union. Still, I feel gratitude for having practiced yoga long enough to hold the paradox of my own experience of gratitude and deep peace with the prayer and hope of peace and unity for all beings.

Yoga teaches us to be present to both and move our yoga into action by doing the next right thing. Where do we begin?

Pause and reflect. What relationship do you need to tend to right now?

For some of us, it may be our personal relationships and so we tend to the yamas. For others, it may be our energy, and so we focus on Ayurveda. For many, it is the relationship to our mind and emotions, and so we tend to mindful movement and therapies that support our inner peace.

Yoga brings a tenderness to where we are broken. As the individual heals, society will slowly transform. Just as the changing of leaves that fall from the trees, we can die to our old beliefs and transform our negative habits. This requires patience, as the backbone of all relationships. It doesn't matter why or how you begin yoga. Simply choose the part of your life that needs extra support now.

Listen. Tend. Mend.

Love,

Vani