Posted at 00:00h
in
Uncategorized
By: Jessi Kohlhagen
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”
-The Bhagavad Gita
The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning union, communion, and to bind, join, direct, and concentrate one’s attention on. Mahadev Desai, in his introduction to the
Gita according to Gandhi defines yoga as “the yoking of all the powers of body, mind and soul to God; the disciplining of the intellect, the mind, the emotions, the will.”
While yoga is indeed a physical practice, its main intention lies in the union of body, mind and spirit. It transcends the mere physical realm and supports us mentally, energetically, spiritually, morally and holistically.
To the yogi, the body is the prime instrument of spiritual enlightenment and oneness with God. It’s the palpable vehicle for our spirit. If the vehicle breaks down, the traveller cannot go far. The yogi knows that the needs of the body are also the needs of the divine spirit, which lives through the body.
Ultimately, a yogi’s life becomes focused on the question: “How do I become free, whole and alive?”
Through a dedicated yoga practice we discover the inexhaustible number of answers to this profound question. This article serves to share some of these answers.
Whether you are just beginning your yoga journey, or being called back to a lifelong practice, yoga is sure to change your life again and again.