Almost nine years ago, I took my first yoga class. It was hard and awkward and I became very sweaty trying to do what I would come to learn were the most basic Asanas or postures. Little did I know how profoundly yoga would change my life and my level of contentment with each moment, which is my happiness.
The word yoga is often interpreted to mean unity, the bringing together of two or more things. I believe this happens on a couple of different levels. First is the unity of the Human Being with the Soul Being. This unity within ourselves is foundational for becoming a truly whole person capable of happily living in the world without being unduly influenced either by the world nor by the Human Being’s intent on physical survival at all costs. The second level of unity is of our unified being with all that is. This is a real sense of our unity and our place as a fully integrated part of literally everything that exists in the entire universe. Through yoga, the real truth of life itself is revealed.
I was lead to that very first yoga practice by a desire to reduce my daily level of stress. It was at a time in my life when I was struggling with a failing marriage, an unfulfilling career and some serious health concerns. Not a great combination for happiness on a daily basis! What happened at first was not a Eureka! type moment that I had found the key to resolving my problems and to daily happiness. It was much more subtle than that. About an hour after I literally staggered out of the first class, dripping sweat and not interested in eye contact with anyone because I was sure I had looked like a complete joke trying to do the postures, I realized I would go back soon for another class. Yet, I really had no idea why. It was just this vague sense that there was something more to this yoga thing than just a good physical workout with lots of really fit and nice people. And, I think this is the thing with yoga. For most dedicated yogis I’ve talked to, it just grows on you at first and you keep coming back. Conversely, if you don’t stay with it for the first few classes then you go on to some other form of exercise and the opportunity to transform your life through yoga, is lost.
I accept that these are pretty bold statements I’m making about a ancient “exercise program”. However, the exploration of the history of yoga and the science of all that happens in a yoga practice helps to put the bold statements into perspective. The reality is that a single yoga practice session touches us profoundly on the dimensions of body, mind and spirit. Here is how it happens.
At the core of the yoga asana is the breath. All of the bodily movements, to take certain postures and to move from posture to posture, is in coordination with the breath. Generally, we inhale as our body is expanding, and exhale as our body is contracting. This focus on our breathing during yoga touches perhaps the deepest core root of both the Human Being and the Soul Being. When we transition from pure Soul Being to Soul and Human Being at birth, the very first thing we do is take our first breath. This is literally the breath of (human) life as it is the energy and nourishment needed to get the Human Being to come alive. We will repeat this first breath many millions of times, mostly unconsciously, throughout our lives We will need access to suitable air to breathe every moment of our Human lives and if we lose this ability at anytime we will have only minutes to recover or our Human Being will die. Likewise, the very last thing we will do, in the transition from Human and Soul Being to just our Soul Being, is to breathe. From our first breath to our last breath, we literally define the beginning and ending of our life on earth. During yoga, when we focus consciously on our breath as we move our body, we form a deep connection between the present moment and the sense of eternity that is our Soul Being. This trains us to live more as our Soul Being and less as our Human Being which is the place where we can be happier.
Another important aspect of yoga is the way in which the practice creates space in our body. The space is physically created through the stretching and extending in many of the postures. This space makes us more open, not just physically but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This openness is so important to be able to learn and grow and get the most out of the lifetime we are in. So often, the fears and concerns of our Human Being, due to the focus on survival, close us down to many possibilities that come our way. For example, yoga opened me to changes in my diet from being an omnivore to being vegan Not only did this dramatically improve my health, it also helped me experience a level of compassion for all living things and that helps my Soul Being thrive. Yoga also lead me to meditation as a technique to become more mindful and present. When yoga opened me to these two practices I was then on the pathway to a much happier life .
Finally, I want to mention how the practice of yoga strengthens our physical body and generally helps to improve our overall health. Regular, deep and challenging yoga asana will build muscle strength, reduce body fat and improve flexibility. The practice also opens the energy pathways in the body to allow energy to pass freely within and into and out of the body. This is super important as it reduces a tendency for energy and emotions to become trapped in the body which can cause distractions like worry and anxiety. It is also important to promote healthy bodily functions like digestion and respiration and a strong immune system. Feeling healthy is a strong antidote to one of the biggest sources of anxiety and fear for Human Beings and that is concern about losing our physical capabilities.
Since my beginning with yoga I have evolved in my practice both gradually and in big leaps forward. My latest leap came in the spring of 2018 when I went to Bali for two months of yoga teacher training with Zuna Yoga. Not only did this immersion lead to my RYT 500 hour certification, it literally changed my life in some very powerful ways. Through the daily practice, the teaching from the incredible Zuna team and the deep interaction with about 60 woke yogis from around the world, I experienced levels of unity within, and with all that is, that I had only imagined up to that point. If you want to become a yoga teacher, or just understand yoga at a very deep level, I highly recommend Everett, Katherine and the entire Zuna Yoga team. Caution however, the experience is often life changing!
Is practicing yoga absolutely required to live a happy life? Probably not. But, I will say that most yogis that I know are pretty darn happy most of the time and I know of very few unhappy yogis. I know that it has worked for me and has been the catalyst for the other happy lifestyle practices of a plant based diet, meditation and minimalism that I will discuss in upcoming posts. If you asked me for advice I would say, practice yoga every day if you’d like to feel happier.
I hope you’ll read the next post that will take us deeper into what the work is to open up the Soul Being and put it at the forefront of your life. To put yourself on the pathway to true happiness.
Thanks so much for reading this post and I hope you’ll subscribe to continue to follow along.
Thank you,
Jim
