whY Yoga?

Why do you do yoga? What it is about this system that gets under your skin and makes you want more? Or is that even the case for everyone?
I love that it is different for each individual, I love that yoga has something to offer all of us, you just need to start. Whether it be the physical, the subtle, or the philosophy, you will be lead where ever you need to go to experience an everlasting change in your life.
Ever heard the line ‘only a surfer knows the feeling’? That’s how I feel about yoga, it is only when you have a practice that takes you deep within the recesses of your body, mind and soul can you truly know this passion, joy and devotion.
For some it is merely aesthetic, a way to keep strong, fit and lean, while for others it is about connecting with something higher than themselves, this comes in many forms and names, the Devine, a higher consciousness, universal spirit or God are just a few, all are one and the same. Finding where you fit usually isn’t a mental process, it just sort of happens, such is yoga, most of us come to it for reasons of vanity or to become more flexible and stay because we discover so much more.
For me I think sometimes the physical benefits keep me coming to the mat, yes I’ll admit I’m totally vain! I am a very physical person, I have the need to move to feel good inside and out and yoga fulfils this for me, I just feel lucky that I can achieve this on my mat rather than in the gym. But my real reason for practicing day after day is it helps me work through my ‘stuff’. While I was moving through asana (postures) this morning I noticed a huge sense of anxiety consume me. I found myself on a dream holiday in Bali, my mat placed on the edge of a cliff, overlooking stunning blue surf with mountains in the background. My husband and daughter were swimming in our private pool and I was doing my morning practice feeling gripped with fear, sadness and a general sense of unease. What the?! Then it occurred to me, this is why I do yoga. Well all have ‘stuff’, I have so much more than I like to think about, and we need to work our way through it sooner or later. It sucks, it’s hard, and in the short term it would be so much easier just sticking your head in the sand and thinking about it another more convenient time, but life makes us face what needs to be dealt with this time round for whatever reason and that’s just the way it is. I have found Ashtanga yoga in particular an incredible way of burning through my crap. By moving through the set sequence of poses I don’t need to think about what move I’ll take next, so it gives me more space to go deeper and shift the blockages. I could go on, I could get very deep, but its not about me or my experience its about us as individuals, it’s about finding a reason for ourselves and beginning our own process.
A good friend and I were talking the other week about the many conflicts and sadness in this world, from our conversation we concluded that getting upset or angry about other peoples stuff is simply creating another unhappy soul in the universe. Instead DO something, being happy and peaceful ourselves makes our world a happier more peaceful place to inhabit, accept the fact that you are not perfect and never will be but you are willing to work on yourself, be proactive in changing that which you don’t like about yourself and more accepting of that which you cannot change.
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” ~ B.K.S. Iyengar
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wow that was such an emotional read!!!!! When I do your classes I find I am learning more and more to just go with it, forget everything else and concentrate on me!!! You have taught and given me so much through what you have achieved/learnt from your own personal journey with yoga, as with everything you give it your heart and soul, I went to a class at Broadbeach on Sat it was beautiful, right on the beach front, I totally immersed myself in it not caring if I was doing it right or wrong, I felt so calm and peaceful after, remembering your words from your classes, I just arrived on my mat and did it all for me:) loved every minute. I have watched you grow so much since you started yoga, the affect it has had on you is amazing, and I feel so very blessed to be taught by you. Enjoy your holiday, with beautiful Lotus and Pat, see you on the mat when you return:) xoxoxo