We have heard allot about Hot Yoga and how it can heal and transform our bodies. Of course our muscles, tendons and joints respond in a favourable way to dynamic movements when they are sufficiently warmed up. But yoga practiced with our bodies at normal temperature still has these same benefits, but we just need to be more gentle with our approach. We are all familiar with how much more relaxed we feel when we are in a warm environment, and this has a very significant influence on how we experience our practice.
But are we not forgetting another very important element here, our minds?
For many years I felt an intensity to my practice, as if I was making some form of atonement for the negativities of my lives. This is no longer the case, but now more from an attitude of reverence and devotion. Through my meditation I have learned to be more patient and joyful in my practice, and like my teacher, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso often reminds us, ‘To practice with a peaceful and happy mind…’
I feel this to be more what Sadhana is – a method to cleanse our minds, and lead us into the purity of our own Hearts.
A common question with uncommon answers. I guess we all know someone who may have come to yoga practice because of injury and after trying various treatments in order to get better. Sometimes as a last resort they try yoga. And what about ourselves? Maybe we have come to the practice of yoga for similar reasons or even the promise of a future benefit that yoga can bring us. Whatever reason we are drawn to do yoga, we are in the expectancy of some kind of benefit. This is only natural. If after undertaking a practice and we find out ‘WOW this thing really works’, then we become firm believers in the power of yoga to heal, and sing it’s praises to all who have ears to listen.
However have you ever considered those who have undergone serious study and practice but alas never experienced the benefits of the healing they hoped for? What about those people? Could it be that yoga only works for some and not for others? Have you ever considered that healing can happen at different levels of our being? Maybe in our motive to be free from our illness and applying ourselves consciously to seek a cure, we somehow become transformed from a personal quest to one of altruistism, a wish for others to be free from the woes of unhappiness, sickness and disappointment.
Something huge has changed. Something great and noble has arisen within us. Oh yes yoga can definitely heal. The healing of course is the turning away from total self interest and a turning towards the uncommon knowledge that we all, at some level experience a yearning to become whole. To become Whole or should I say to realise Wholeness is YOGA.
