Yoga is Medicine for the Body & Mind

Stop right there. So, I’ve got your attention now. Pause, breathe, and come fully into this present moment, the only one that we ever truly have in our lives. Follow my words- I am breathing in; I am breathing out. A mantra of observation to bring you back to all that you are. Just a single moment of reflection and awareness can break the chain of the endless streams of thought that flow through the mind, constantly jumping from past to future and rarely settling in the now- this is the crux of the practice of mindfulness and the state of yoga. When we become the witness of our minds, we ignite the spark of transformation that lights a fire within us, a catalyst for change, a new way of thinking, feeling, acting and ultimately, being. 

Often I hear the statement, ‘I’m not good at yoga’ or ‘I know meditation wouldn’t be for me’ and unfortunately, this is a mind that has essentially slammed the door shut before it has even had a chance to open. Perspective, trying new things with expectation, releasing judgement, letting go of the ego, challenging societal conditioning, truly believing in and loving yourself no matter what, and having compassion, including for yourself, now that is what blows the door off it’s hinges. We cannot underestimate the limitless expanse of space, wonder, opportunity and joy that is available to us at any given moment when we get out of our own way. We can see our human body as likened to the infinite cosmos, a microcosm of the macrocosm. The elements that make up our physical form being the same as those floating around in space- we are literally made of stardust. The air that we breathe right now is the same air that our ancestors have breathed for the entirety of human existence, and our logical brain tricks us into thinking that we are separate, alone, different, disconnected. When we remind ourselves of this phenomenon, the idea of the things that worry us daily are put into perspective. They become a speck of sand on the infinite beaches of existence, and we can see more clearly that all is well right now, always has been and always will be, beyond the mind and it’s limitations, on the level of the soul, our eternal interconnected consciousness. 

In a world so focused on looking externally for happiness and success, the roots of yoga ask us to instead turn our gaze inwards. When we get the inside right, the outside will follow without a doubt. The entirety of our human experience comes from inside, from the mind- we create our own personal universe from within. Therefore, if we can train and master our inner space, then everything that we face will be affected, enhanced and transformed. It is impossible to be ‘good’ at yoga as what it means is to be in our natural state of presence and peace. What we often get caught up in is the limitations of our physical body minimising the experience of our practice of postures, known as asana. This is just element one of the eight-limbed path, Ashtanga, this is the external focus. When we shift our thinking towards viewing yoga as a way of life, an experience, a science of the mind, then nothing can not be yoga. Yoga is in every moment, every emotion, every breath. As on the mat, when we breathe through the challenges that life will inevitably throw us, when we pause and reflect before reacting, when we question our thoughts, when we choose different- that is the power within that we can harness. 

So be kind to yourself, do your best and know that that is enough. Appreciate and find gratitude for all the good that you do and all the blessings you have in your life right now. We must give the ordinary things our attention to realise how extraordinary they are, from our heartbeat to our feet that allow us to walk, then everything becomes a tiny miracle, and you will live your life experiencing heaven on Earth. Whisper softly inside, I am peaceful in my body, I am peaceful in my mind, I am peaceful in my heart. Join me in my collective, eternal wish for all beings to be free and at peace- Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. Om Shanti, Emma