Regulating the Body with Yoga

When you think of Yoga, what image fills your mind?

Many of us feel intimidated by flexible teachers and their ease of movement from one posture to the next.

Their seemingly effortless understanding of where to place their limbs based on an unfamiliar word or phrase can leave the newcomer confused and wondering what they're missing.

What is the big deal about yoga, anyway? And why is every health care practitioner suggesting its benefits?

In the Western world, we immediately equate Yoga with exercise. While this is partially true, the movement practice of yoga is only one of eight disciplines.

In totality, Yoga is a way of living. Yoga is the path to Christ Consciousness.

First, we are reminded to notice our behaviors towards ourselves and those we interact with. Yoga says we must practice kindness towards ourselves, thereby enabling us to extend kindness to others. We must practice telling ourselves the truth and allow our blind spots to be revealed, so we may present our authentic self to others. We must practice forward thinking as we engage in our day-to-day to ensure we are mindful in our use of natural resources. We must learn to practice moderation in all things. Even moderation. And finally, we must learn to practice generosity with ourselves and those around us. Mastering these personal behaviors allows us to recognize the divinity within our physical self and others.

Second, Yoga gives us five disciplines which allow our physical body to transcend physicality and open the third eye of our mind. Purity of mind and body through meditation and physical washing. Cultivating contentment in any circumstance. Voluntarily depriving the body of luxuries for set periods of time to practice austerity. Taking time to reflect on our patterns of behavior. And finally, recognizing there is a Higher Power outside of our own divinity and surrendering to their ultimate will for our life.

Third, Yoga offers us a mindful movement discipline. There is no "right" way to practice yoga. Rather, there are countless modalities and methods for the practice. Yoga can include training for strength, balance, flexibility, and recovery.

Fourth, Yoga reminds us of the importance of a daily breath practice. The Cardiovascular system has the heart to pump the blood. The Lymphatic system has the feet to pump the lymph when we walk. The Nervous System has the breath to regulate the body and mind - and we must choose to interact with our breath to access this power.

Fifth, Yoga teaches us that it is our personal responsibility to become the observer in our own life. To reflect on how we have chosen to purport ourselves and how that has affected others in our sphere of influence.

Sixth, Yoga emphasizes the importance of learning to focus and concentrate the mind. We practice different forms of meditation to hone our skills in this area.

Seventh, Yoga allows us to release our bodies and our minds from the tension of focus and concentration. Once we have determined how we will behave, structured disciplines into our day-to-day, moved our body and interacted with our breath, spent time in meditation, developing a concentrated focus, we are rewarded with a detached consciousness. We recognize this world and its suffering may exist, but we are not bound to its existence.

And finally, this detached consciousness allows us to experience the bliss and ease that is the birthright of humanity. The alignment of our divine soul and our physical body. The recognition that our purpose extends far beyond the realm of our current understanding. The understanding that this physical world is temporary, and our allegiance belongs first to disciplining our physical and spiritual selves so that we may care for those around us in the same way Christ cared for his disciples and those who understood his calling.