Yoga

Yoga is a practice that ultimately leads us to peace, love, harmony and happiness.  Yoga is a sequence of physical, mental and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated in ancient India.  

It uses breathing techniques (ujjayi breathing), exercise and meditation to connect with ourselves. When you are on an airplane the flight attendant tells you to put must your mask on first so that you can help others. 

Similar

Similarly, we must love ourselves first to feel the unconditional love for others. Those that we are connected to through family and friends as well as the world as a whole. 

If we look deep inside we are all connected and ultimately searching for the same goal in life. To live in peace and love. The relationship that we have with ourselves sets the tone for every other relationship we have. 

Western World

Yoga has become very popular in the western world. It is offered in local community centers, schools & private practices. 

Yoga is for everyone, one can travel anywhere in the world –  Vancouver, Bali, Thailand, Toronto, Hawaii, New Zealand, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne  – and will find the soul is no different regardless of where people live and there is not a single person on earth that wouldn’t benefit from a yoga / meditation practice.  

There are a number of different types of yoga practices that individuals can choose from. It depends on what you are looking for and how you are feeling physically and emotionally. 

Practice

Knowing what you want to achieve through a yoga practice will help you identify a style that suits you. The first thing you need to do is figure out your intention. 

Do you want to improve your help, lesson stress, increase mindfulness; gain strength; lose weight or relieve pain? Once you have the answer to this question you will figure out the practice that is right for you. 

Grounds

Yoga grounds us in our bodies through a series of asanas. Stress comes when we are disconnected with ourselves. Fearful thoughts can become habitual, and like other habits we need to break the cycle. 

Yoga helps us connect with our higher selves, and frees us from the dark and brings us into the light. It helps us find clarity.  But we have to face our fears with the truth that they are all in our minds, and that they will lose their power over us.  

Epidemic

Stress, fear and anxiety have become an epidemic in the western world, sadly starting at a very young age. Between our fast passed lives and the rapid increase in technology we are seeing stressed out adults and children. We are all looking for a way to simplify our lives and find inner peace. 

The world is coming at us and at times we all feel that we have to protect ourselves. In many ways the world we live in is a reflection of our thoughts and fears.

We can modify that world by looking at our truths. Look inside at your true light, the beauty of your inner guidance system. Look at the true you… Kindness, compassion, love and harmony lives inside all of us. We just need to be open and allow it to shine through. 

 In Sum

Yoga is more than exercise, it has the potential to reduce and alleviate suffering and change a persons life. Through yoga we learn to open, expand and surrender. We learn to feel safe and connected to a higher power. 

We see the world with compassion, love and wisdom rather than fear and paranoia.  We leave a yoga class feeling refreshed, balanced and centered. The key is how do we retain that feeling, how do we keep the bliss and love off the mat?