“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but we are a spiritual beings having a human experience.” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
Quoting French philosopher, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but we are a spiritual beings having a human experience.” Yoga did that for me. When I learned, spiritual yoga practice is key to discovering life, and keeping myself in shape, I never want to stop.
Yoga works for me, because I can do it at no cost, at anytime, and anywhere. Every time, it is like a massage session, or even a mini vacation. It not only gives me a physical work out, but also has a relaxing and meditative effect. After more than 20 years of learning and developing different software systems, I found here is one system, my body, that is a complete mystery to me. To my surprise, yoga gave me a life manual for how to use this system, by discovering the spiritual being that is waiting to come out.
With a diet program, we can learn to control our food intake, if our focus is purely to eat less, or to look good. But when we focus on being the better version of ourselves, we can find the motivation to do it, but most importantly, sustain it.
Yoga is really about us, and doing what we can with our body, at that moment in time. Yoga is like our smile, unique to each of us like a signiture, expressing the state of our physical condition, our mind, and our spirit. When we focus our energy in a pose, our mind is also focused. To say it plainly, when our body is happy, our mind is happy and our spirit will be at peace. It works, because yoga allows us to be ourselves. It is also very universal, because it promotes harmony, starting with ourselves.
From my yoga teaching experience, I am convinced that not enough people are giving yoga a try, although it has many benefits to be realized. According to a recent article (see reference 1), there are 80 million people in US that express their intent to do yoga, 30 millions are doing yoga, divided into 2 main groups. One group does yoga because they are experiencing poor mental or physical health and want to improve their condition, and the other group is very healthy but does yoga to improve their physical performance. But what about the 50 million of them, who wants to do yoga, but are not doing it? Do we need more qualified teachers? Or are the students intimidated by a beautiful model in poses, or the pricy studio fees, or plainly not knowing that, yoga is like breathing, you can do it at any age, anywhere, any time.
I strongly believe a needed paradigm shift for yoga teaching and for yoga students is a must, bringing the awareness to more people, and integrate yoga into their daily lifestyle. Our world needs a better alignment, for our body, mind and spirit. So that we can all live in peace, love and harmony!
Reference 1 – https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/it-time-for-paradigm-shift-yoga-teaching-teaching-opportunities
The Yoga with Heart 
I love your words, like a breeze in the forest.
However, on this article, I wish I could understand more about that the reason you thought the body system is mysterious. It did draw my attention, but ended too soon. And It would be better if you could put more descriptive and specific examples for people to realize the difference between current yoga being applied to the mass and yoga spiritual. It would be easy for us to accept that it’s time to the paradigm shift. It seems meaningful and interesting…. you could disciple more
I am expecting your next article.
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Hi Celine, I will use few examples to get started, but please look out for my future blogs for more.
The mystery of our body initially for me is when I discovered our body has the ability to heal itself. Under the suggestion of a doctor to better my back pain, within weeks of practicing yoga, my pain was gone. Later I found out, by practicing legs and abdominal strengthening poses, it helps to support my back. Another example is when I learned to do my alignment properly in a yoga pose, my knee pain went away.
Spiritual practice is about looking inward, and taking responsibility of ourselves. So if we are angery, we can practice to be aware of where that anger is coming from, blaming others would be giving away that resposibility. Patanjali, who wrote yoga sutra, tells us that Wholeness is within us, we need to chisel away everything that is not SELF, or not our essance. Jesus said, “the kindom of God is within you“. Yoga has different ways to support practicing awareness, such as focusing in a pose, breathing or meditation. Yoga sutra, or “8 Limbs of yoga” also supports such practice.
How are the yoga being practiced today？ May be as an exercise, or a way to relax, which is effective for a short term relief or benefit. But if we practice yoga as wellness and wholesness, the benefits will sustain.
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Yoga helps us be in the present moment! When I am on the mat I am not thinking of the past or the future. This is one secret for being happy and healthy>
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Yoga helps us realize that all we have is the present moment right now. I find when I am on the mat I am not thinking of the past or the future.
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As a fellow yoga teacher of almost twenty years, I also believe in the gifts and benefits of yoga. It helps to be better at life. I believe there are various reasons why yoga is not as populated. Financial, social and others. It continues to grow though, which is good. Thank you for this important discussion.
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I agree that more people need to experience the effects of yoga but are somewhat intimidated by the external aspects.
I am a yoga instructor and always urging my friends to try a little bit.
The best way is to be a power of example for other people.
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I agree, it is not easy, we are only human beings, and do have our short comings, but as long as we don‘t give up, stay positive or seek help and find a way to stay on track, we are exercising our yoga practice.
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I enjoy and love the yoga too without reasons. Everytime I feel uncomfortable or need peace in mind, I will do some yoga. Maybe it becomes part of my life. So I agree what you said that everyone can do yoga with no cost and in every time, everywhere.
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