The mystical world of yoga has captivated millions of people. Yoga’s popularity is well deserved and timely. The science of yoga offers something for everybody, even you!
It is hard to escape the recent North American trend of yoga’s rising popularity. We encounter images and references to yoga in subways, popular magazines and at fitness gyms.
While the popularity of yoga is unquestionable; it has spurred many questions from those unfamiliar with yoga practice and philosophy. Why and how do we make our way through all of the many unfamiliar terms, styles and forms that are being offered?
To an unfamiliar eye, the mystical and somewhat curious world of yoga may appear daunting, and in some cases, confusing.
In my experience, once I have an understanding of something, I take out the perceived threat and explore it with an open mind and contextual reference. We stand to gain from the potential that lies therein.
It is analogous to traveling to a foreign country, initially not knowing the language or the customs, and then eventually relishing in the discovery of a new world.
Studies continue to affirm yoga’s multitude of health benefits, and everyone from athletes, actors, to high powered executives are incorporating yoga into their fitness regime. Interestingly, the physical benefits are often the motivation to practice yoga, which eventually leads to a deeper mind-body awareness and connection.
Yoga offers that to you and more, due to its physical, mental, and spiritual attributes. For those of you scared off by the word or notion of spiritual – don’t worry, from the world of yoga, spiritual simply refers to the fluidity of your Self, or your ability to fully embrace and express your life-force, which is essentially a state of bliss, a state of non-suffering.
Self-realization was the sole purpose of practicing yoga. Yoga simply means the union of Self, perhaps more accurately, the re-union of Self. We all start off in this world as blissed out babes; it is the journey back to that state of peace and joy about life, about our self, that is the path of yoga.