I am like a lot of Westerners, I heard about Yoga some years back and thought it was some sort of exercise system that focused more on stretching and conditioning the body without needing external aids. You just needed yourself and maybe somewhere soft enough to lay down, a mat might help. As a teenager, sports never interested me and seeing so many friends injury themselves for teams in school seemed like a waste of youthful energy. I always liked the warm up aspects of sports, loosening the body, feeling better and less likely to do damage to yourself if everything was open and flowing first. Naturally, the idea that you could just focus on the 'warm up' in Yoga appealed to me and after receiving a simple book titled 101 Tips on Yoga, at the ripe age of 15, I began what would become one of the most satisfying journeys of my life, unintentionally.
I would practice these poses, or asanas, gaining flexibility at an alarming rate and feeling more and more relaxed as time went on. I'd be grinning all the time, colds seemed more distant and unlikely even amongst the adolescent soup of a high school and an overall sense of ease became normal. It was an odd experience getting more and more comfortable in my own body and skin as others were simultaneously struggling with the demands of changing bodies and seemingly devastating social pressures that come at that age. But I didn't see stress the ways others did and genuinely didn't really think about how I was changing my growing body and mind. Didn't need to, I was just doing some stretches right?
My interests in going deeper into the subject always stayed with me and continues to this day. In addition to the practices yoga offers, the philosophy, traditions, lore and variations found around the world and just within the Indian Subcontinent all have so much to offer the modern person struggling to find an instruction manual on how to be a happy healthy human being. The yoga traditions from all over seem to be the closest thing I have found, in my humble opinion.
Take for example mental health. While most people stay in the studio and are pretty content to develop a practice in the modern context of classes, workshops and maybe a retreat or two. More often than not, the physical aspects of Yoga, namely postures and breathing exercises, get all the attention and the brilliant logic of various yogic texts is given a bit of side mention, perhaps as some inspiration or affirmation at the start or end of a class. Don't get me wrong, I am not here to troll the Yoga community and just bah humbug the whole movement, I simply want to share some observations and invite people starting out or well established in their own practice or journey, to consider exploring some of the subtler aspects yoga has on offer. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali was one such text I encountered that blew my young mind when I first read it. Since then, I enjoy checking out various translations and commentaries from various authors since it can be studied throughout life and you'll probably find something new each time, or just a deeper understanding of something you thought you understood.
For example what causes suffering? Buddha would say attachment, and that is true, plus he has his own 8 step program for dealing with all that. Freud, might try to connect suffering to some subconscious force that has been festering in you, probably related to some mum or dad issues. While I lean more towards eastern thought, when it comes to the mind, everyone has their point, but I tend to feel I gain more from people starting from the perspective of 'what is health?' first rather than basing an entire system of therapy on maladjusted people who are struggling to be comfortable in their own mind. As such, the baby that is Western Psychology, never really appealed to me and seemed like it needed to work out a few kinks. Maybe another 500 years and we'll get there. The Yoga Sutras breaks it down to 5 things: Ignorance, Egoism, Likes, Dislikes, and Fear of Death. Now think of ANYTHING that has ever caused you suffering. Chances are it was because you either had some misunderstanding about what was really happening, and suffered, or put too much importance on yourself, and suffered. Or something you liked or disliked had enough hold over you to make you actually care and lose your center. And fear of death, well I think that goes without saying (he types into the Blockchain, assuring a little bit of Immortality, in a way). This was very different stuff from what I was being taught in schools or from my own culture. And it made sense.
The studying of yoga while I got into practicing the things I was learning carried on throughout my youth and to this day. My handful of books has expanded into a delightful library of different classics, autobiographies and teachings from traditions found around the world and different eras. Some books changed the way I see things. I remember reading Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda , one of the first non-asana based books I had picked up, and was awestruck by the stories and ideas in there. Was it really possible to meet such people? If anyone practiced the traditional styles of yoga with guided instruction from a qualified teacher, could they become as great as these people seemed to be? How could you know that this was real and not just some dramatic story told to sell books? Would have to read more to see if this was true or if other people had similar claims. But more importantly, the information I continued to learn merely confirmed the experiences I was having. Better sleep, digestion, immunity, peace of mind, lack of stress, ability to rest deeply when not engaged in activity, better focus and an inexplicable good mood all seemed to just come as a side effect. It was hard to imagine what kinds of things would come if I actually focused on the aim of yoga and not just the runner up prizes on the way. However, at that/this point I don't think I really could articulate what the 'goal' of yoga actually was... it just beat soccer practice and made me feel better.
Fast forward to a few weeks after high school and my persistent curiosity culminated in a Yoga Teacher Training course for a month at a lovely ashram located in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. The odd part I discovered was that since I had been 'studying' and practicing casually on my own for about 3 years at this point (and incidentally, most of the books that resonated with me were in fact from the very school I decided to attend, but at the time, I hadn't made that connection) much of the material felt like review so I could focus more on what I wasn't understanding and get help topics and practices I had only read about, but never felt comfortable trying on my own, and for good reason. If you know what Shat-Kriyas are, you know what I mean. Those of you that are crunching your forehead, they are basically like Yogic cleansing techniques to bring your hygiene to a whole new level. Nasal Irrigation anyone? Sounds gross, feels amazing, when you get used to it. Kind of like a gentle spa for your sinuses that massages your brain at the same time.
Since then, I've continued to take courses, deepen my understanding and find a balance in my practice that works for me. I realized early on that some of the deepest aspects of yoga, are the most subtle and hardest to point at. Would you consider telling the Truth a yoga practice? Or non-violence in thought word and deed both to yourself and others? What about a constant questioning of reality and your own nature? Would gently asking yourself, 'Who am I?" be a yoga exercise you could do anywhere, while working, commuting or actually meditating in isolation? What about just trying to cool off the mind so you don't have to listen to your own internal radio all day, every day? Do you need to be on a mat or in a class to apply any of these little tools into your life? No, Yoga is for everyone and chances are no matter what your personality, interests or inclinations, there is a type of yoga or some practice for you.
I suppose this article (perhaps rant) is my response to the kinds of conversations I have with people and the general sense of what yoga even is or has to offer. In addition to some of the more stereotypical images of yoga that come to mind other practices from other styles, traditions or cultures really interested me too. Native Americans had practices of their own that applied the same principles as various yoga traditions, same in China, Japan, South America... pretty much anywhere people had been living for long enough to start tackling the existential issues of being human and either maintained traditions that had been handed down, or developed their own over time to meet their needs and suit their understandings.
The main thing I learned was that everyone is talking about the same thing, but using their own vocabulary or understanding to help explain things within the context of their own times or culture. Chi Kung or Qigong could be considered a type of yoga from the Far East working with similar principles but with different ideas and maps of the body. We all have a body, mind, emotions, life energy that animates this corporeal form and an extra je ne c'est quoi, that acts like the witness to all this. Even if I point at you, you can see YOU being pointed at. The body isn't you, the mind isn't you. Name, form, history achievements, all are pendants that we hang from the center of our being that watches from your deepest nature.
Ok, now why am I going on like this?
I didn't even know what was out there or what was possible until I either stumbled across it or someone introduced me to it. So in an effort to keep this content 100% original I will just list off some things I wish I had known about and a brief description of what it is, in the hopes that something might resonate with you, dear reader, and you may feel inclined to wander off and see what this vast world has to offer.
I'm purposefully keeping this bare bones just to try something different, so no hyperlinks or youtube videos, but if there is interest in any of this, I'm happy to elaborate on any number of topics and try to share my 0.001 SBD of experience.
So I'll just do this like a Yard Sale:
Karma Yoga- not to be found in classes, but an entire living philosophy of active practice whereby you try to overcome your ego by engaging in continuous acts of selfless service. When you work, you just do it. You are not there for praise or reward, only to do what needs doing. It's an attitude as much as it is a practice and you can start immediately, for free, if you choose.
Bhakti Yoga- This is a more emotional/devotional path that can be developed by channeling and focusing your emotional and mental energies towards an expanding sense of love for all. Many focus on a particular concept, figure or person. But the idea, generally is that the act of expanding in love and devotion can lead to elevated consciousness and unity with all of creation. For intellectual types this might seem like just an excuse to sing songs and dance, but chances are you would be more inclined to more philosophical practices.
Jnana Yoga- This is considered on of the highest yogas and most difficult. It is well suited for the analytical types since you get to deconstruct all of reality and your own nature until you find the substratum beyond. Inquiry into 'Who am I?' Or to really consider that which is unchanging and how all this phenomena around us will be blinked out of existence, eventually. So why do we mind so much? Being able to discern what is real or not can help us on the most foundational levels how to avoid unnecessary suffering. Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff. Except for your true nature which, if you look into it and see for yourself is absolute existence, knowledge and Bliss. The needle in in the haystack. you are the haystack.
Tibetan Yoga - Masters of meditation, various sects of Tibetan Buddhism have amazing insights into human nature, how to still the mind, keep the body healthy, become aware in the dreamstate, learn how to die consciously and guide your soul to the next thing instead of being blown by the winds of karma to the next shore you find yourself on after death.
Taoist Yoga- China actually preserved a lot of teachings from India that got lost there and were able to develop them into the ancient sciences we see today. Chi kung exercises can help you to become aware of the subtle energies in your body and actually teach you how to bring them under conscious control. It involves movements, meditations, breathing exercises and so many amazing unique features I never found from more 'conventional/typical schools of yoga that come the minds of Westerners.... but I would like to hone in on this in particular in later posts since some of the tools for managing emotional energy, approaching the body with a different viewpoint and countless practices that can be easily slipped into the day whether you are working mum or mountain hermit. I like things that are simple, work well and are fun, Taoist yoga with it's emphasis on being at ease and feeling good as a prerequisite for practice.
Yoga Nidra: I list this separately since I think it might appeal to people who don't even have interest in Yoga. Basic idea is that you being guided into a deep deep state of relaxation. This is similar to the relaxation provided at the beginning, end or imbetween postures in a typical asana class, but the deepest relaxation you experience there, is actually the STARTING point of Yoga Nidra. It's essentially a process where you keep your mind awake and aware while putting the body to sleep and intensifying the quality of your relaxation and rest so that your body can truly recharge. It is said that 1/2 of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to 2 hours of deep sleep. For you Steemians up all night or otherwise just in need of some serious rest.... don't just doze off, power rest!
Oh and I forgot about Sacred Sexuality/Tantra/Sexual Kung Fu but I'll save that for later since I think just by typing that the rest of the page might have just auto-deleted in your mind.
Well I think that is enough mumblings for now. Being my first crack at a piece of pure writing for the Steemit Community, I don't have high hopes that it will go viral or be of interest to the masses, busily trying to gain a following as they decide where they themselves are headed on here next. But for the few that do enjoy it, feel free to leave a comment or any additions of your own. In particular, if there is anything you would like me to write about, I do requests.
To the Journey Home, back to your Self!
