Yoga of Mind and Body

There is a perception in much of the Western world that Yoga, despite its focus on controlled breathing and stress-relieving techniques, is just a physical exercise; a workout like running, weight lifting, or rowing. Even among those that practice classical styles like Hatha, Iyengar, and Ashtanga the focus is too often set on physical strength, muscle tone and flexibility. While yoga can help you achieve tremendous physical results, advanced yogis know they represent only the outer petals of Yoga’s unfolding lotus. Advanced yogis recognize that the inner petals require similar attention. Advanced Yogis know that, just like the conscious experience, each unfolding petal remains connected to a single stem and through this union the whole lotus is formed, beautiful, healthy and strong.

There is no doubt that the Asanas can be  physically demanding. From the very first posture we attempt in our lifetime to the very first posture we adopted this morning, each constantly seeks out new ways to challenge us and change our perception. Even during intense physical stimulation, the mind is still vulnerable to distraction, anxiety, anger, competition, etc. Indeed, the mind can stray so far while we search for peace that we forget the very space and time we occupy and we lose our ability to be fully aware and present. We become numb to the moment because we have allowed our mind to burn itself out on noise, clutter, and nonsense.

In today’s busy world, becoming numb may sound to many like an oasis of bliss away from the constant frustration of a busy mind, and though it is a long way from the dangerously overactive sympathetic nervousness of modern living, its deep roots lopsidedly cling to the parasympathetic nervous function, making it as equally distressing and harmful - like driving while blindfolded.

Take, for example, what would happen if our muscles behaved like the mind often does while engaged in any number of Asanas, deciding to disengage without warning, or jolting off without our direction. The outcome could result in serious injury as the muscles spasm, or disengage altogether, causing the body to contort or collapse. On the other end of the spectrum, think of what would happen if your muscles became numb while practicing your Asana, unaware of any damage taking place from overuse, unable to protect themselves from your physical routine as your senses shut down completely.
Uncontrolled physical movements are seen as a serious medical issue. Why then do we not have the same concern for the uncontrolled shifting of the mind? We do so out of habit, out of learning that the mind is uncontrollable and therefore unable to be cultivated and made to react or behave differently.

Luckily for us, a habit can be abandoned and replaced with something more powerful, developing a new behavior and methodology by fusing willful thought with directed action. Awareness of Self. Consciousness.

The mind is the root of everything we experience. All actions, all achievements, all desires, and all suffering must first begin as thought manifesting in the mind, and all outside information and environments must first pass through the filter of the mind before it becomes part of our experience. Without the willful exploration and manifestation of human thought there would be no creation or destruction, no interaction or communication, no growth or evolution. Our world would be entirely devoid of life if we were to simply remain numb. Society, Religion and Philosophy, Math, Science and Art would cease to exist.

Without thought the architect could not conceive buildings of grand design. Without thought the inventors would fail to conceive even the most mundane things. Without thought man could not create a single object or direct a single action. Without thought nothing could be destroyed - only made irrelevant, insubstantial, meaningless.

Conversely, with thought a person can seek the highest of aspirations. With thought mankind obtains miraculous achievements. With thought the world is recognized, the body is given motion, and a personality develops. With thought man becomes a consciousness: accountable, actionable and wholly alive.

With so much at stake, should we not then look to direct the mind as we do the body, and should we not seek to solidify that unity to achieve a greater, stronger whole? Should we not seek to differentiate between inspired, creative, intelligent thought and  base human reaction and nervous response? Knowing the difference between consciousness and reaction is the basis of our social and spiritual evolution.

Beyond the physical demands and corresponding benefits to the physical body, Yoga challenges the mind to stay focused, relaxed, steady and attentive. Just as the muscles must be engaged in our day-to-day activities both on and off the mat, so must the mind. Attention to deep breathing increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles and brain while simultaneously providing a steady calming rhythm to the mind. Beyond this the practitioner’s own willpower and self-control must be utilized and developed, and like much of the human form this too can be strengthened through a variety of techniques, the most basic being the practice of a physical discipline such as Asana. When the body, breath and mind are balanced, holistic evolution naturally occurs. The energies in the body are given time to regulate and unite. This development goes a long way to steadying the mind which, in turn, increases our capacity for greater compassion, sustained realization, and clear perception - all fundamental human characteristics often neglected in our busy lives. Slow down the body, sharpen your perception of your experiences, give yourself enough time to process this new awareness, and you will find that body and mind fall into the same steady rhythm.

If we can take time on the mat to develop and hone our physical well-being then we can also take this time for the development of the unseen body and our conscious and unconscious mind. Yoga is, after all, unity beyond just the physical form. If we are solely focused on attaining the deepest stretch or the furthest lunge, we cease to fully challenge ourselves, because we are so much more than just our bodies. A lotus is more than the blossom we see floating on the surface of the water. It is kept alive and beautiful by the deep roots that extend beyond our immediate vision. A lotus dies quickly without it’s root. Strengthen your mind as you strengthen your body. This is Unity.

Seeing the Change

Can you feel it? The season is not the only thing changing right now. Our planet and it's inhabitants are beginning to feel the effects of a social, political, and environmental shift. For many people, the certainties of life that were once so well relied upon are now disappearing. This is a time of great change for us all, and a time to look ahead instead of behind us.

The process of change can be shocking to us, whether the change is at home, at work, with family, or within. We can feel alone, afraid, and paralyzed by our fear of uncertainty when the structure of our lives, our societies, and our minds begin to transform. As humans, our minds are our most important tool. We are constantly calculating, predicting, measuring, and analyzing everything around us. When we get to an equation that we did not predict, and that we have never encountered before, we tend to overload. We try use our old, irrelevant calculations to deal with new information, and we hit a wall.

The problem with change is not that it happens, it is that we refuse to let go of the old to make room for the new. We are given new eyes, but we refuse to see with them. We stay in darkness, in fear, and in mourning for what we used to see clearly.

Imagine you are on your way to bed one night. You go to your room, and shut off the light. For the first few moments after you turn off the light it seems as though you've been plunged into an abyss. You can't see a thing as the darkness completely envelops you. For a moment, panic sets in, as the senses you rely on for safety and information are no longer available, and you stumble and fumble your way into your bed, often stubbing your toe or tripping over the rug on your way. But after a few minutes in this darkness, your eyes adjust, they pick up on the tiniest lights and expand them. The room becomes visible again, despite darkness, easing our minds that we have not disappeared entirely.

If you give yourself time and release your fear of darkness, your eyes adjust, you can see through it and process your environment. Sometimes with these newly adjusted eyes, we can see new shapes in the shadows, and new beauty in ordinary objects.

The only constant in life is change. If we learn to dance with that change, the potential in each moment is endless.

IN THE BEGINNING...

For years we have been asked to make a DVD for home yoga and meditation practice. Stephen and I teach as many classes as humanly possible each week, both public and private, but sometimes we can't get to everyone. A guided home practice is ideal for anyone who can't make it to classes at all or enough, or for those who are dedicated to daily practice, whether they're at home or on the road.

So instead of just making a DVD or filming one of our daily classes, we created something bigger and better which, as a family owned and self producing small business, was a very long road!

Devi Yoga is not only the home of inspiring classes taught in classical style, it is now also the home of On Demand Yoga and resources to help you grow your practice into a way of living. Yoga classes and flows, Meditation practice and instruction, Dance and Creativity - all of these aspects come together when you live Life with More Content.

When I received my training from my teacher, shakti, I was asked on the last day of training what I wanted to bring into the world with the knowledge I had earned. We were standing in Stanley Park on a warm, sunny May afternoon. I looked at my surroundings, my fellow smiling graduates, my teachers, and for some reason my own hands. The only word that came to my mind during those moments was "Peace". If Yoga is meant to bring a higher state of awareness, health, and stillness to the practitioner, I believe it is important to share more than just instructions on how to create the Yoga Asanas with your body. Yoga means "Union". The union of life, of practice, of eating, of creating - the art of living.

It is my pleasure to invite you to visit www.deviyoga.ca and find out more about what is in store for you, and to see what we have started with - it's only just begun!

or enjoy this simple promo for one of our many OnDemand Yoga videos, Cultivating Focus:

or click to view more OnDemand Yoga from Devi Yoga

Om shanti,

Devi Yoga