A MOMENT OF YOGA - A LIFETIME OF HEALTH

Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, India.

Yoga is a word and concept that seems to be everywhere in recent times. A renewed interest in an ancient philosophy to help us back to health and calm our busy minds in today’s hectic society. Yoga flyers will be in your gym, on the library notice board and posted all over social media. You will hear about yoga in the news and read articles about its health benefits and how you can lose weight or reduce stress. You will see celebrities endorsing it, health professionals prescribing it, your friends telling you how it changed their lives. All of this is great news for the yogi’s of the world. How do we distinguish what is a 'quick fix' promotion, and what is a deeper understanding of a lifestyle change or enhancement?  ​

Yoga is not a quick fix; it is not another gym session; it is not a passing fad.

It is a science and discipline that has survived thousands of years and its revival indicates to us how much we need to grab onto a rope and rescue ourselves from what may feel like a sinking ship of healthcare. Yoga is that suture that stitches the wounds we have inflicted upon ourselves and helps to tie and untie the ropes that bind us.

This morning, during my commute to work, I stopped beside a green park and saw the calm light of a spring morning filtering through the tall trees sprinkling its magic on the cherry blossoms and daffodils. And I thought about yoga. My first image was a posture - an unwavering tree reaching up and opening its branches to the sky and the sun; A crouching gecko stretched along the mossy ground looking up through the branches and twinkling dew drops; A warrior stretched out with his firm gaze to his middle finger creating the perfect line from infinity to infinity, as strong in mind as in body.

The question is, what do you consider yoga to be?

I don’t mean a Wikipedia definition or something you think you should say, but what is your first thought about the term yoga?

My first thought of yoga is movement and stillness. It is focus and calmness. The images that pass through my mind are the famous yoga postures - the asanas. It is only after these initial images does my intelligence remind me that yoga is much more than asana and that these beautiful postures are only one part of what is an entire philosophy and discipline. In fact, of the 196 aphorisms of Yoga philosophy, only 3 relate to asana.

The images that have become synonymous with yoga are a photographers dream. I suppose nobody would be as interested in a list of do’s and don’ts and moral and ethical dilemmas of how we act on a daily basis. A picture of someone sitting in meditation might look nice, yet it isn’t going to help us lose weight, but it might inspire us to go on a Spa vacation for massages with incense and eastern music playing by a sunset. A magazine article with photos of fresh colourful produce spread out on a wooden table with healthy glowing people looking happily into the distance will inspire our next grocery shop and we will feel satisfied with the same colourful vegetables and fruits sitting in our kitchen. We will feel lighter and happier for their beauty which is testament to how nature infuses wellbeing. Yet, it is likely these fruits would have been flown in from a few thousand miles away and has a strict expiry date. Do they end up in your body or your mindful recycling for compost? Are they covered in pesticide to pass importing laws or are they fresh from the nearby farm or orchard?

Has this got anything to do with yoga?

The science of yoga makes us think of all the above.

I’m purposefully avoiding the obvious definitions of yoga, but Google will give you much food for thought. My aim is simply to direct your attention to mindfulness in every activity and routine you follow. This unified approach to living is the true essence of Wellbeing; the combined effort of good food, regular exercise, clear mind, gratitude and smiling, create a steadfast human being. Just as stones united create an unmoving mountain, every aspect of life brought into balance creates perfect health.

What do your thoughts and ideas about yoga represent about you and your understanding of health and living in this world? Perhaps these ideas will help you organise your thoughts and bring unity to the different aspects of your life.

Whatever you decide, there is a way to balance it and tailored guidance is available when you are ready to accept it.