Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. - Buddha
We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey. - Stephen R. Covey
Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured. - B.K.S. Iyengar
Union/Yoga
The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yui, implying integration, or union of body, mind and spirit. Why is this union important? The body, mind and spirit are distinct but interacting bundles of energy that need to be exercised and stretched in order to grow. Yoga is a catalyst for enabling these three sources of energy to move around and live together. The effects are felt physically and mentally:
- Your mind will develop a greater awareness and understanding of your body and spirit.
- Your spirit will be more easily expressed within your body and mind.
- Your physical and psychological health will improve.
- You will become more comfortable expressing your true, inner-self, which is shrouded by blocked energy.
Practicing the physical aspects of yoga has a simultaneous influence on the mind, making people more aware of their total selves, more open, relaxed and self-confident, less defensive, and more in tune with their environment. B.K.S. Iyengar espouses one theory about how practicing asanas can have such extensive results: performing physical poses helps reduce or silence discordant vibrations between the body and mind, producing a more harmonious integration between the two.
You can read and read about all of the benefits of a yoga practice, but you won't truly understand them until you experience yoga for yourself. So come to a class with an open mind and heart, move your body in ways you didn't know you could, listen to your breath, and feel the energy awaken your soul.
