YOGA
Whatever your goal may be whether it is physical or mental well-being, inner balance, or communication with the Divine, there are no limits to what you can achieve when approaching yoga with an open mind. Yoga has something to offer for anyone, no matter your skillset. There are various approaches that may suit each person’s specific needs.
“Yoga works from the inside and preserves energy. It’s an inward turning. This can happen only when we are not moving towards the past or future, but when we are moving within our self, grounded in the present.”
- H. S. Arun
According to Sri B.K.S. Iyengar, “Yoga is a pragmatic science that evolved thousands of years ago and deals with the physical, mental, moral and spiritual well-being of a man as a whole.” The practice is one of the Shatdarsana ( six ancient systems) of Indian philosophy. It was the Sage Patanjali who systematized its practice in his treatise, The Yoga Sutras, over 2,200 years ago.
When most people think of Yoga, they assume it means stretching, bending, twisting and turning upside down on their mat. True yoga practice however has a higher purpose, to attain mastery over the modification of the chitta, or mind. This ancient body-based practice opens the door to self discovery by showing us the strength of our muscles, guiding the rhythm of our breath and unlocking the kindness in our hearts. Most importantly however, Yoga helps us to experience the body, mind and soul all as one, further enabling us to know the unity of the Jīvātmā (individual soul) and Paramātmāṇ (the Supreme God).
There is no lifestyle, no occupation, no situation that cannot be greatly enhanced by Yoga. This practice is not something that is set apart from one’s life, rather it should become the root from which the others aspects of our lives are nourished and regenerated. In my life, I experience the highest practice of yoga when I’m with my family rather than in the classroom itself.
Tai’s teaching is rooted in the art of Hatha Yoga, which is the practice of attaining harmony amongst the mind, body and spirit through the use of yoga postures (asana) and breathing exercises (pranayama). The highest purpose of Hatha Yoga is to purify the body, giving one awareness and control over its internal states and rendering it fit for meditation.
