Experienced Yoga practitioners often feel discouraged when a
naturally gifted dancer, gymnast, or martial artist, performs an
advanced asana with little effort. As I have mentioned before,
there are people with elongated joint capsules and their
extraordinary range of motion is a gift. You and I may have to
work at it, but the many rewards of Yoga practice are still
there.
Yoga consists of many facets, and Asanas, are just one of the
many parts of Yoga. Many students who have extraordinary
flexibility admit they struggle with another part of Yoga - such
as: The student who just can't calm down to meditate, balancing
in asanas, Pranayama, Yogic Philosophy, and so on.
Unfortunately, I have seen many promising Yoga practitioners
quit practicing Yoga, due to a competitive mind-set. Within
their own minds - they were in competition with every student in
the class and, possibly, their Yoga teacher too.
Remember that Yoga means "union." In simple terms, we can say
union of mind, body, and spirit. There are many more
explanations about union, but that could be a separate article.
There are also many branches of Yoga and, therefore, many types
of union, but competition is far from union.
Competition enhances the ego, and the ego is just a part of your
personality. The ego resists union for its own survival. The ego
is our social mask and does not want to share anything.
Remember, the next time you start to feel envious of another
student or teacher - that is not union. If anything, it will
hold you back from union and many more valuable contributions
that Yoga can make to your life.
Why Has Yoga Become So Popular?
Did you know that over fifteen million people practiced yoga in 2003, according to a landmark study by Yoga Journal Magazine. And the numbers are expected to increase dramatically in subsequent years. Your own experiences probably confirm this study... Click here to read...
Yoga For a Beginner
Yoga for a beginner is an exciting time when you start to discover all of the wonderful benefits that yoga has to offer. When you first begin yoga, there are several things you can do to make your experience positive. The following are ideas you... Click here to read...
Which Yoga Mat Is The Right One For Me?
If you are just starting out with yoga, you already know that
there are a number of different pieces of equipment that you may
need and the yoga mat is one of them. But, how can you choose
one that is right for you? There are several things to... Click here to read...
Staying Fit with Yoga Exercises
Yoga exercises are the best way to free your mind and to
concentrate deeply. After you have experienced a stressful
situation, your mind, body and spirit is worn out and fatigued.
The cause of these might have been from the interaction... Click here to read...
The Healing Power of Yoga
the healing effects of yoga for the every day working woman
During the 1970s when I was a young girl, I remember my mother sitting in front of the television perfecting her yoga techniques with PBS yoga guru, Lilias. Lilias, with her breathy... Click here to read...
The Foundation of Martial Arts: Yoga
At first glance, Martial Arts and Yoga seem like opposing forces
and philosophies, but these two health maintenance systems have
more in common than meets the eye. For a moment, consider the
similarities between Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga. Within the... Click here to read...
Yoga And The Breath
Your yoga practice and the way you breathe are intertwined. You
won't fully experience the benefits of yoga without first
learning how to breathe properly.
