The Life Support System of Yoga
Many are familiar with the yoga postures that are practiced today by hundreds of millions of people in yoga studios around our planet. Yet yoga has been practiced in the daily lives of people on the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years. In America, 1 out of every 10 people includes hatha yoga in their health regimen. But Asana (yoga postures) is but one part of a vast and ancient wellness system of Yoga gifted to the world through the spiritual traditions of India.
I like to think of yoga (at least how I experience it) as a four-part life-support system. A human life-support system is required for sustaining life in an environment that is potentially toxic. Daily life can be toxic when lived unconsciously and under constant stress. Unfortunately, this toxicity is common in contemporary society. This is why yoga has become so popular. It is proven to reduce stress, purify the body/mind complex, and restore optimal mental, physical, emotional, and neurological health. Everyone can benefit from this, which explains the exponential growth in yoga practitioners during the pandemic in 2022. It was needed to sustain us.
A brief overview of the life-support system of yoga.
1. The asanas bring us into alignment with our body vehicle. Improvement of strength, balance and flexibility are but a few of the benefits.
2. Another important component of the yoga system is meditation. Regular meditation purifies and clarifies the mental field resulting in transformation of habitual, conditioned reactions into soul-inspired responses.
3. A third component of yoga is purposeful living and, as a core foundation, sets us up for success and fulfillment in all areas of life.
This divine trifecta of practice supports us in being authentically available to the fullest experience of this precious human life.
4. When integrated into our daily life, the transformative benefits of yoga allow us to witness directly the truth of ourselves as radiant, limitless, spiritual beings. This awareness is the fourth part of this life-support system and is essential for realizing the liberating results of a yogic lifestyle. Though yoga is considered a spiritual science, it is not a religion and can be practiced by people from all backgrounds and faith traditions.
Yoga offers a timeless and endless source of ancient wisdom that has the potential to transform our world for the better, one yogi at a time. If you are interested in learning more, there are yoga teachers everywhere and probably just a few miles from you. But be sure to vet your teacher so you’ll learn yoga from someone who is knowledgeable, well-trained, and experienced.
May yoga continue to improve lives all over the world and foster peace in the hearts and minds of everyone.
