International Yoga Month
Kanjin Yoga Anniversary
Learning the
different facets of yoga can be overwhelming for beginning yoga students. Yoga
has many branches, systems and offshoots. Over the years some of the yoga
practices (such a "hot Yoga" or "Vinyasa/flow Yoga") have
been systematize by various yoga teachers, so that it becomes more understood
and accepted by the modern society. Most of the basic yoga asana (postures) are
generally called Hatha Yoga. Many people just see yoga as primarily a set of
exercises to maintain general fitness when routinely practiced.
And for other
people Yoga means "Union", the literal meaning of the word YOGA is to
"YOLK" or to "LINK" back. Yoga is not a religion; it is
more a way of life or discipline for promoting greater fullness and experience
of life. This implication is: to link back to the original source, the original
essence, that which transcends all mental and intellectual attempts at
comprehension, but which is the essential nature of everything in CREATION.
However, I prefer to think of it as a path to liberation of the mind, through
overcoming physical limitations and fears.
The practice
of the physical postures enables one to think deeply about what it is like to
learn where your mental edges exist. I would find my edge in a particular
posture and on the other side would be fear. It could be just the fear of
falling down, but it would loom large and prevent me from trying to go deeper
into the poses. This was always true for my life in general. I would accomplish
a goal, and when it was time to push past it, I would find fear waiting around
the corner. What I learned through yoga, was how to see the fear for what it
is, a mental construct, that can be dismantled with time and commitment.
"Yoga is
an art, a science and a philosophy. It touches ones life at every level,
physical, metal, and spiritual. It is a practical method for making one's life
purposeful, useful and noble."
B.K.S. Iyengar
- Yoga Master
Namaste,
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