Everybody heard of Yoga these days but almost everybody has few misconceptions about Yoga as well. Few of the examples are; for women and young only, weight-loss, huffing-puffing breath control, can’t bend, can’t sweat, religion, etc. Among those, the weighty issue comes on top of the list. People often ask “What is Yoga for? What can Yoga do?” What they are actually asking is whether or not Yoga can make them lose weight. Whenever they ask me like that, I go “Umm…” first. I try my best to give them better answer than what they are indirectly asking. I am not good at doing sales talks or pushing people around with pep talks. But I feel obliged to share correct knowledge, objective and balanced information, to help people make better decision, be educated and obtain right perspective. Some likes my approach; some do not, especially if they are afraid of the word “diet.”
Diet simply means the food we eat but it has been mostly synonymous with being on a diet. They will flee if I mention the word, diet. Just like any other exercise, done regularly in consistent manner, Yoga will help you to shed extra pounds and trim body line. But then, if you don’t watch what you eat, no matter how much you exercise or burn calories, it is of little help. Our body is not like an automated machine that you can control its operation depending on which button you press. Besides, there are many other factors to be considered, like gender, age, diets, lifestyle, genetic make-up, etc, that contribute to the bulging tummy and escalating numbers on the weight-scale. In the high technological era we live, in where anything is possible with a click, many look for a quick fix but cannot appreciate the virtue of patience and the art of discipline of which what Yoga is about in the first place.
People do not like to hear the words like, patience or discipline; most will immediately head to the door. But that’s what it is. It is the most comprehensive and beautiful words that can summarize Yoga. You don’t need super paramount of time and efforts but few simple steps at a time in a consistent manner will do the wonders. Once you start, then, the subtle transformation in our body, mind and heart happens quite naturally and automatically. You stand differently, you walk and talk differently, you feel and think differently. You are standing taller, you breathe fuller, your think clearer, you handle your emotion better; but more than anything, your spirit radiates more confidence and lightness around you.
We are the beings of energy. We constantly respond to the energy, consciously and unconsciously, in everything we do. If we exude heavy, cluttered and dull energy, then, what comes back to us is the same pattern of negative and unwholesome energy. There always will be plenty of problems, obstacles, endless chores to juggle, to make you run around like the hamsters in the wheel. But if your energy is refined and settled, if your being and manners are somehow more coherent, then, the people around you start to respond in more positive ways. Yes, one of the many benefits, besides its mental and physical benefits, is uplifting of your spirit to generate calm and peaceful energy around you. Your spouse and children will find easier talking to you because you are more patient and light-hearted. People will like to come around near you because you make them feel secure. The doctor’s bills will come down significantly, because you don’t get sick or feel tired as much as before. Somehow you can spot yourself better before start turning the same cycles of struggling and fighting in the hamster’s wheel that reaches nowhere.
Yoga is the process of energy transmutation to refine and bring closer to your center; to release stress and tension; to ease the various aches in the body; to clear the hazy mind; and to handle the fluctuating emotions better. It brings up the brilliant light within you, to shine every aspects of your life, so that you can lighten up your energy to enjoy more harmonious relationships with the people around you. Yoga helps you not only to become fit and healthy physically, but also to be beautiful, confident and positive mentally. You will also become much more stable, open-minded and loving emotionally; more compassionate, sensitive and joyful spiritually. You see, the benefits of practicing Yoga are so multidimensional, that, how can I simply answer in plain “yes or no” to the questions that are sometimes, not so congruent.
We are the beings of body, mind and spirit. Whatever we do to our body, thereby, has direct and indirect effects on our mind as well as heart. Just because we can’t see the mind, emotion or heart that many assume that Yoga is for the body only. When your body is tired and sick, no matter how much you love your spouse, kids, can you talk to them in a nice way? When your mind and emotion are messy with worries and fears, do you notice the loss of appetite and terrible constipation? When you are depressed or feeling rejected, can you remember the grace of God? We go about beating the bushes in finding solutions for whatever problems we might be facing in life; doctor’s pills, TV, the computer games, chocolates and ice creams, alcohols and cigarettes, pub and party, or sleeping...etc. They are the means to suppress or forget the problem momentarily but not the wise solution. It’s more like covering your eyes with hands so that you can believe they are not there. In fact, the very solution lies, in our willingness to turn around our lopsided attitudes. So much easier to spice up your life with a bit of discipline than, to continue burying your nose in the bushes.
My recommendation to any of your problem will be, by doing the very things that you don’t want do; hold onto your temper before you burst it out, do the slow and deliberate five breathings before you say anything nasty to regret later, move the body to exercise, do the 12, 30, 50 or 108 times of the sun salutations, then, lie down on the floor and do the Yoga Nidra… You can see the heaven. You can see yourself floating in the clouds up there. When you wake up, you can see how beautiful your eyes, your glowing face is; how precious your kids and spouse are; how fortunate and blessed your life is. Why not slow down, take one deep breath at a time, and open your eyes and heart to look around? There are so much beauty, goodness and peace all around us. Why not fill your heart with lightness and laughter rather than unnecessary fears and worries of the massive negativity and desperation in the world out there? Our life is so precious to squander away with petty, mind boggling endless chores and clutters. Time is slipping through our fingers. Why not take a Yoga break, to learn to come home? Your home is the body in where your spirit can find its peace. Give yourself a Yoga break regularly; you will find overflowing love for life. If we find ourselves too busy, too occupied, even for that couple of hours for Yoga in a week of 168 hours, then, something is terribly wrong with us. There also won’t be much space in our heart to love, care and enjoy the gifts of life. Then, we are living but not really living… Come this Sunday, to join us for the morning Sun salutions!!
