Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Yoga Asana Without the Mental Discipline

Today, while beginning my morning asana wake up routine – I opened the right side of my body – and heard this -

We are opening our bodies. We are creating more space within our physical bodies. But as it is above, so it is below – and the corresponding opening is within our mind.

What does that mean?
If we open our mind further, but continue to fill it with the same negative thinking as before, then we create a denser and more powerful version of our selves.
However, if we open our bodies and our minds, and welcome in the ethical and spiritual teachings that make up the totality of yoga – we have a real and honest chance of integration.

My advice
If you practice yoga asana, I want you today, right now, after reading this, find out a bit more about the other limbs of yoga. Discover niyamas and yamas. Learn one little thing at a time. When you read about discipline – don’t quickly move onto another word – stop – learn, discover what that word means to you. Dwell in the information. There’s no rush. Just a little bit every day – til you understand what it means to do yoga.

Remember, if you open your mind, but keep filling it with the same things as you have for the last 5 years, then you just create yourself again – but bigger.

Begin internal questions. Begin looking within. Understand if you just want a prettier body… or if you want to touch something magical – something that will transform you.

That is true alchemy.

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