Follow One Consciousness Tweets - (This article was originally published Spring 2008 in Applaud Magazine)
Yoga is an ancient practice and a word meaning to unify or yoke together. What does yoga yoke together? – the mind, the body and the spirit. Springtime is a time when we move out of our winter slumber and start to think about bathing suit weather, we realize that we may not have been as diligent with our exercise routine or maybe we are ready to try something new. One of the major benefits of a yoga practice is that it does tone and strengthen the physical body. Stretching and flexing the muscles, developing upper body strength, improving balance, getting that yoga butt, all are great motivation for starting a practice.
The subtle benefits of yoga though are even more beneficial. Within the practice there is a great deal of time spent learning to focus on the breath. Awareness of the breath connects us at the deepest of levels to the life force that sustains us. Deepening our breathing instantly takes us into a state of relaxation releasing us from the fright or flight response created by the shallow upper chest breathing that most of us do in our daily life. Breath awareness alone is enough to transport you to a deeper space of subtle connection with your own spirit and with the spirit that is all around us. Practicing with a group provides opportunities to share the breath with each other and to note how we are all connected. Group practice also provides a magical support system and can enhance the energy of your practice as each member of the group contributes to creating a safe and supportive environment for each other.
Often as the practice deepens, the asanas or poses will activate releases of emotions, thought forms and other toxins that are stored in the body at the cellular level. The asanas are designed specifically for these subtle benefits as well as the more gross benefits of a lean and muscular physical body.
There are many wonderful styles of yoga and a wide variety of studios throughout the region for sampling them. Yoga is also available at most gyms. Private in home instruction can be a great way to learn the poses and to refine and customize a practice that is perfect for you and your body type and ability. Finally there are a lot of great video based instructional tapes that you can just pop in to your VCR or DVD player and begin your practice right on the living room floor.
As you begin to explore the world of yoga you will discover that the asanas or poses are merely a scratch on the surface of this ancient practice of alignment. There are whole workshops dedicated to just learning the different types of breathing that you can do while practicing. Chanting is another practice that is a part of the yogic tradition. There are also philosophical writings that are available for study. Yoga is a multi-layered, deeply transformational way of life that you can spend your whole life exploring. Come to each practice with beginners mind, that way you’ll reap the maximum benefits!
Amethyst Wyldfyre is a multidimensional healing artist and initiated shamaness in the Inka Tradition who uses sacred sound, color, aroma, light and energy to catalyze positive change, healing, growth and evolution on a personal and planetary level. She teaches at a number of locations and has a private healing practice in Nashua, NH. She practices yoga daily to maintain balance, focus and to stay in good shape physically, mentally and spiritually.
For more information about her and her evolving work contact Amethyst at her blog or website.
(Photo credit – Darlene Pina Yoga Teacher with Amethyst Wyldfyre in Triangle Pose – Photo by Keith Spiro used with permission)
