Are you looking for enlightenment? Or are you looking to alleviate your backache? Do you want to share your yoga mat with a barnyard animal, pet or baby while you try and connect with yourself? Or do you want to just get shredded abs? Perhaps you want to not do anything strenuous at all because you have enough of that in your life. Whatever you want there’s a something-attaching-itself-to-the-word-Yoga out there for it.
Don’t get upset by the phrase, take a deep breath and stay centred, this is just a yoga opinion article after all. We’ve all heard from everyone and their dog (Dog yoga is a thing) that yoga means union in Sanskrit. In India the word was only attached to a system that was a complete path in itself for an individual to transcend their limited consciousness and unite with the universal consciousness. Elements of Yoga were, and still are, so ingrained in the culture that the ultimate goal of life is not some distant concept. Whether most people want it or not is another thing entirely, but transcending limited consciousness is no radical concept in that culture.
Not so everywhere else. In fact its a concept that no one ever really seemed to think of in the same way. There’s nothing religious about it, and it’s very separate from the tenants of Hindu doctrine, although elements of it are there. Basically, the Yoga is in the doctrine but not vice versa. Religion for me was for the temples, and as much for those who wanted comfort as those who wanted spiritual knowledge and experience. I was more interested in the mystique of the yogis, who seemed to posses almost super human capabilities and levels of self mastery. Adept Yogis to this day live in the highest snowiest most hostile peaks of the Himalayas. I’ve seen such people. Vibes don’t lie.
Before we proceed let me say that Indian culture and religion can be very confusing to those not familiar with it, it’s subtle, wide ranging and very comfortable with dichotomies (the co-existence of two seemingly opposing concepts). We have a million gods, but there’s only one God etc.
There are many different ways to know the divine. But whether you want to know the divine or just get some health benefits you need a little context setting with Yoga. Because it’s not just an exercise, but these days exercises are being called yoga. Lets be clear on one thing - for millennia this ancient subjective science was preserved with a sacred reverence for being the almost magically powerful and transformative practices they were. But these days we’re in anything goes territory.
I’m not at all saying this to put you off doing any of the other activities-attaching-themselves- to-the-word-yoga. They exist because someone thought they would be a good idea and if others agree then good for them. I’m not saying avoid them. I’m just saying arm yourself with knowledge because Yoga is a powerful and subtle transformational tool. You might not know how it works for you but you’ll definitely see the effects, and like I always like to remind you, powerful, subtle transformational processes need to be handled with care and expertise. Much like when you choose a car, the more research you do and the more aware you are of the market and what to look out for, the less likely you are to end up disappointed.
So finally, here is my take on how to systematically go about finding the right practice and teacher and get the most out of it for you:
1)Set your intent - think about what you actually want to get out of your Yoga practice, and how much time you’re willing to set aside to achieve your intentions.
2)Ask the right questions - Do a little research into the different types of yoga that might interest you. Does it sound like it’s actually in line with the word Yoga? Does it matter to you? Do you like the yoga studio or class venue? What do you know about the teacher and do you resonate with them?
3)Really ask yourself why you want to do this yoga - is it right for you? Would you be better off doing something like pilates, martial arts, tai chi or another system?
4)Dip your toe in - Contact the teacher or studio if you haven’t already. Maybe go to a taster lesson, or introduction. Or just jump in and do a course if it feels right!
5)Really give the practice a chance to work for you. Ask the teacher if there’s a recommended time to stick with the practices for, and to see the most dramatic results try and adhere to it. In terms of Classical Yoga, it has an almost mathematical precision. I think of it like a sum - if you do x things for amount of time you get z. Generally in Indian culture they speak of doing something for a period of 40-49 days (called a mandala) to really get it established in your reality. You don’t have to stick with this, it’s a recommendation.
Thank you so much for reading and as always I hope you’ve found my suggestions and views helpful, or at least interesting. Drop me a comment if you have anything to say, ask or request me to write about! Peace x
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