There are varied benefits to practicing yoga including:
2. • focusing/ clearing the mind
4. • increasing flexibility
5. • toning and lengthening muscles
6. • better breathing that will increase lung capacity
7. • stress coping mechanisms
8. • yogic philosophy as a way of life
So if you are stressed, tired, finding it hard to concentrate, need to detox or want to take advantage of the physical benefits of yoga, then our retreats and/or classes may be exactly what you need.
Yoga is a way of life
Most importantly though, is our attitude to life, that makes our experience different, or allows us to feel happier in life! Yoga is one of the Indian shat-darshanas, or six ways of viewing the life, therefore each of them is accepted as one of the forms of Hinduism. However, Hinduism, as in many religions in there purest form, i.e. simply the ‘teachings’ is considered a way of life. Likewise yoga is not considered a religion although it sprung out of ancient Hindu culture; this mistake can be easily made. We must realize that the world and its religions today bear little resemblance to those of ancient civilizations such as ‘Bharata’, mother India is rapidly losing all signs of ancient ritualistic and refined lifestyles. Yoga believes in oneness and all concepts of duality are simply a default of our mind, as though a veil conceals reality to us due to our unawakened state. In real yoga life there is no conflict of religion, philosophy or science, because all is accepted as correct to the individuals consciousness level and place in the great chain of their evolution.
It is time for people to rethink their understanding of yoga, its actual meanings and importance to humanity. Accepting yoga merely as the materialistic tool for physical control is only one drop in the ocean, yet we are trying to describe the ocean. Yoga is the science of life. Yoga is the science of spirit; it shows us how we can live! Living as apposed to going through life blindly, repeating patterns, allowing our emotions to control us, ‘being unconscious’ in our behavior. Yoga is aimed to attain self-realization, and conscious evolution of the self. Yoga is discovering the relation of our ‘individual’ soul with the Supreme Soul.
Yoga is highly ethical as the foundation of yoga life begins with the perfection of five Yamas (control of lower nature). These are simply described : Ahimsa, non-violence; Satya, adherence to the truth; Asteya, non-stealing; Brahmacharya, control of sensuality; Aparigraha, non-greed.
Yoga is also highly intellectual as it gives full play to the inquiring mind. It describes all the obstacles and distractions and gives complete detail to overcoming them through the guidance in Pananjali’s Yoga Sutras. The Niyamas (develop our higher nature) are given to deal with the body and mind. These are: Saucha, cleanliness; Santosha, mental serenity; Tapas, discipline and austerities; Swadhyaya, self study; Isvar-prinidhana, surrender to the supreme self/Universe/God.
Yoga is also scientific as many of its practices, Pranayama’s Mudras, kriyas and prakriyas can be evaluated through scientific experimentation. It has a vast array of techniques and tools each of which will be useful to the yogi or chela at different points in our ever-changing life.
The person of the world lives to learn – the Yogi learns to live! The Yogic path in its true spirited form is not one for the light hearted, truly you come face to face with yourself and this is the greatest challenge to man / woman. It is said it is easier to move a mountain or control the wind than to control our mind – but as KRISNA said to ARJUNA in the famous Bhagavad-Gita ‘it is difficult but not impossible! It is inevitable that each and everyone has to do this in the path of their evolution.
