What is Yoga and what role does it play in your life
“Submit to a daily practice. Your loyalty to that is a win at the door. Keep knocking, and the joy inside will eventually open a window and look out to see who’s there.” – Rumi
What comes to your mind when you hear the word yoga?
- Is it the body poses you see coming up on your Instagram feed
- The class you take as a workout
- Having a thin body to be able to practice
- Doing a perfect pose
- Only young, fit people do yoga
Yoga is so much more than that, actually in Sanskrit Yoga means union. This is one of the reasons why yoga encompasses so much more than the Asanas (yoga poses). If you are curious and want to learn more about it, a really good book is The Yamas and Niyamas, by Deborah Adele. The Yamas are external ethics and Niyamas are internal ethics. They are guidelines that can guide you in your life.
YAMAS
- Non-harming/Kindness
- Truthfulness
- Non-stealing
- Non-excess
- Non greed. Generosity
NIYAMAS
- Purity
- Contentment
- Self-discipline
- Self-study/Inner exploration
- Surrender to something bigger than you
People also tend to think that yoga and meditation are two separate practices, but they are not. Yoga is a broader term that holds both yoga ‘poses’ and meditation. As a matter of fact, the poses are a small section of what a yoga practice means.
Now, how does it play a role in your life? The guidelines are there to form a path that you can take and learn more about yourself and the world you live in. I will star covering more of these topics in the future. In the meantime, I hope your Friday is one of reflexion and relaxation.
Lots of love. Fernanda.
