Inspiration – If You Look, You’ll Find It.
What Is Yoga?
In the last newsletter I talked about healers and how people have a skewed view on what it means to be a healer. I akin it to how people view yoga. You read or hear the word yoga and immediately your mind shows you images of beautiful people in amazing and flexible poses. However, the truth is, the Asanas, which translates from Sanskrit to Postures, is only one out of eight limbs of yoga written by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra.
The Yoga Sutra was written as a collection of information pertaining to yoga from older traditions. In this book he writes about the 8 Limbs of Yoga, which is a guide to assist us in living a more meaningful and purposeful life. The 8 limbs include Yamas (the don’ts), Niyamas (the do’s), Asana (Postures), Pranayama (Breath Control), Pratyahara (Withdrawal), Dharana (Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation), and Samadhi (Complete Integration). The Yamas and Niyamas are broken down further and include non-violence to yourself, others, or Mother Nature, being clean and tidy, self-reflection, proper use of your own energy, non-greed and hoarding. In the yoga sutra Patanjali explains how the 8 limbs are a step-by-step process on how to live your life. You start by following the dos and don’ts. You then slowly incorporate the physical postures in your day-to-day life. The Postures help you to work on your breathing. After that you take time to do breath work on its own. The next step to withdraw from your senses. You take time out of the day to get away from the sensory overload we experience daily. This can be accomplished by going to a quiet space where you can withdraw from the senses, and focus on yourself, on how you acted and the things you’ve done in the day. Afterwards you can meditate. Once you’ve meditated you integrate everything you learned that day, week, month, or year into your next steps forward in life.
Patanjali also goes on to say that no one reaches the last step and is done. Similar to the medicine wheel in Native traditions, the cycle is never ending. So, lets break free from the Idea that a yogi is someone who just works on the postures. Let’s break free from the idea that yoga is only done on a mat in a studio. I’m practicing yoga when I’m at work and I take a moment to work on my breathing. Yoga is sitting at a riverbank and reflecting on your day. Yoga is walking in the park and picking up the garbage others have left out. Yoga is helping a stranger. Before every yoga class, especially with new students, I remind them that I’m not there to tell them what to do. I am simply a guide and if there is a movement or posture their body is asking for, they should honor that. I hope these words have served as a guide and hope you have an amazing November! Be sure to tell someone you love them. I love you all!
-Rimi Inti