The most common statements I hear about yoga today is, ‘it is too hard, I am sore, I can’t do it’. What are you doing I inquire, only to learn most are sweating, straining, grueling, and aiming for physically perfect poses.
This comes a quite a surprise for me as I have been teaching yoga since the mid 1970’s when the original yoga was taught – to look within and listen to your body, no strain, the motto I coined back in the 90’s as a counterbalance to the then current philosophy (now defunct) was,’ no pain – no pain’.
Yoga was originally taught gently, as a preparation for spiritual development; to strengthen your body, mind, emotions, with soul. The symptoms of gentle yoga are increased harmony, energy, self-confidence, intuition, and JOY!
Twitter: If you are are getting stressed from your yoga practice…it is not yoga!
Yoga means union, not disunion. Teachers are hurting themselves and in some cases, causing permanent damage to their joints and ligaments. People, think for yourselves.
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Back to the conversation I was having with yoga teachers, I asked them, ‘didn’t you train with Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, Self-Realization and other spiritual courses in your yoga teacher training?’ Each said no, and most schools they knew of only are teaching the physical, anatomical yoga.
This prompted me to begin to reintroduce my yoga classes that focus on one’s intuition to guide you through the yoga routine.
How to Practice Yoga For Everyone?
The short answer is, listen to your intuition. Let the body tell you what to do, how to stretch, and for how long. You may start in a pose (eg, Warrior), and then feel to twist to the left or right; to spread your arms in a different direction, etc. Feels good doesn’t it? That’s honoring your body, mind and soul.
Remember: the original yoga was invented – mostly by watching animals stretch. So to have teachers insist on exactitudes of position as the only way to success shifts the self-reliance and self-wisdom to one of external or other-based dependency. This is a-spiritual. I call my teaching, ‘Invent-A-Yoga’. Invent your poses and regain your self-empowering spirit.
The other short answer is, feel peace & joy during your stretches. When I give workshops, I have the people shout out in joy, JOY! JOY! JOY! as they stretch… and what an instant transformation occurs in the room. They never imagined they could let go of focusing on precise positions and actually have fun with their yoga. I also call my yoga teaching, JOY! Yoga.
You will find many ayurveda yoga postures (photos & instructions) in my book , Ayurveda Encyclopedia. And you can learn the spiritual foundations of yoga discussed in a way that relates to your daily life challenges in my second book, Bhagavad Gita for Modern Times.
I offer JOY! Initiative workshops around the globe – they include spiritual yoga, spiritual ayurveda, and finding your life purpose & vision alignment so you can unfold your highest life of peace & joy and live in your paradise from today!.
If you are wanting to learn more how to integrate spirituality, divine love, joy, grace, and fun into your yoga practice, see my telecourses, certification & workshops in spirutal ayurveda, spiritual yoga, and in peace & paradise (see details)
Private one-on-one skype, phone, email mentoring consultations are also available.
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Wishing you health, peace & paradise
Swami Sadashiva Tirtha
