Under the Bodhi Tree: Sept. 2015

15 years ago there were less then 10 Yoga studios in the Atlanta Metro area.  Now it seems that a new Yoga Studio opens every few weeks.  The issue no longer is: “where can I find a yoga class,” but rather “should I attend a Hot Power Yoga class or a Yin Vin class”. For many the essential question remains: “Is it not all Yoga?”
 
The short answer: Everything is Yoga. Yoga comes from yug which means to Yoke or bring together. The union of mindfulness, movement, breath, concentration and action is Yoga.  The movement part, Asana, is one of 8 limbs of the Tree of Yoga.  As Americans we tend to get caught up in the movement, concerning ourselves with the physical results rather than the process.
 
My first forays into Yoga consisted of traveling around to multiple Studios, marveling opened mouthed at what other people could do, cursing my body and my seemingly fading athleticism for not being able to copy what I saw with immediate ease. I wondered, about the calming & centering aspect of Yoga I had heard about so often. I wondered how the balance of effort & ease would make itself known to me. At the beginning of my Journey, it seemed that every Yogi I laid eyes on in class was able to find a graceful hang-time between their edge & relaxation, regardless of how challenging the posture.  It seemed impossible to me that there would ever be a time or place where I would feel truly “calm & centered” while standing on one leg, bound like a pretzel. However, I did not let that deter me from continuing to explore what Yoga had to offer me.
 
Almost 2 years later, I am able to achieve the same graceful hang-time I once coveted in Gauradasana, Eagle Pose (standing on leg bound like a pretzel) . How did I get here, was it a miracle?  No. Is my body special? NO.  Am I some kind of a Unicorn? No.  In fact, as a native New Yorker, born to Puerto Rican parents in poverty, my environment made me predisposed to dislike Yoga. As a teenager, I considered it a luxury for the privileged who simply did not care for real exercise or real sports. I know now that Yoga is a lifestyle, and the Asana are like a medicine that can help keep you healthy & happy.
 
Ancient Yoga texts are clear that the use of Asana, the physical postures of yoga,  is intended to be prescriptive.  The Asana should be used to give the body what it needs physically, energetically, and spiritually.  We are all different. As our needs vary from day to day the way we experience Yoga can be effected. Therefore, when one begins to explore a Yoga Asana practice you should go to many studios & try many different styles of Yoga. Once you find a style, studio or teacher that can fill your personal prescription then the other aspects of Yoga begin to reveal themselves in unison with the movement. Even if you have been practicing a certain style for a longtime it is always good to vary your practice occasionally so that you can nourish the different aspects of you body, energy & spirit
 
Many of you reading this may already meditate, chant, engage in mindful movement or practice Asana. The truth is that those are all still just limbs of the Tree of Yoga.  Yoga is: how you live; what you do; how you treat others; why you do things; & how you keep yourself operating at the highest vibration possible. Yoga is not about how many sun salutations you can do, or if you can do a handstand.
 
Yoga simply asks:  what are you willing to do with what you have been given that will improve the quality of your environment?
 
Yoga is the gift of the Universe to the world. This Ancient system is a non-religious way of living that offers infinite prescriptions for what ales you. Yoga exists to improve our lives, if you are willing to dive in and look beyond postures. Dare to cultivate your prescription of the right postures through exploring different studios and styles. Are you ready to dive in?
 
Namaste, Awilda