
Why do it .....?
YOGA TRANSLATION MEANS THE UNION OF BODY ~ MIND ~ SOUL or to yoke together these aspects of self.
Yoga has a long history and tradition. It is a holistic and active body/mind/spirit integrative tool and system to support people ultimately come home into the heart, body and soul. The side effects of this journey is a fit, healthy, vibrant body, a clear disciplined mind, balanced emotions and an awareness / inclusion of spiritual energy that is there to support and guide the ego (lower) personality with making the best choices with confidence, clarity, inner-trust, creativity, unconditional love, joy, connection and a honouring for all life.
The practice of YOGA does this by releasing stress from the body to open up the energy channels of communication within the body so more prana, chi or lifeforce energy can travel un-restricted by tightness, tension or blockages..(.think acupuncture / chinese medicine).
Open unrestricted energy channels, blood flow and nerve impulses communication through out the entire physical body in turn creates enhanced and balanced health, fitness and vibrancy.
The magic ingredient in YOGA is the technique of breath that switches on the para-sympathetic nervous system, which is also understood to be the distress, relax and digest breathing mechanism. When this is switched on, stress hormones are released from the body, muscle are learning to elongate and relax so that blood and energy can flow unrestrictive simultaneously calms the mental thoughts while disciplining the mind.
Then the magic really unfold as this allows or opens up space in the body~mind system to have awareness and presence of ones spiritual nature or essence or truer self on a soul level. This truer heart centred, core self has greater clarity, wisdom, insights, confidence, certainty about oneself and ones relationship to the world around them due to a broader perspective of whom a person is as a spiritual human and not a human just trying to be spiritual. We then become humans that recognises I am already spiritual and I am living a human existence. With this attitude it is easier and more natural to release feelings of greed, jealously, anger, repression, worry, regret, unhealthy competition, un-worthiness, judgement and patterns of self-sabotage or abusive habits.
To live an empowering, balanced, joyous, healthy and vibrant life, it is imperative than this connection and harmonious communication of body-mind-spirit in open, aligned and supported through practices like YOGA, MEDITATION, NATURE WALKS, BREATHING TECHNIQUE, FUN HOLIDAYS, FEELING GRATEFUL, POSITIVE CONVERSATION, ANYTHING THAT SUPPORTS A OPEN MIND & HEART. For a open mind and heart is required to allow ones spiritual radiance to shine through and be grounded in the body, feet on the earth, knowing oneself and knowing ones own highest values and truths.
From this connection to ones spiritual essence, not as merely a concept or intellectually understanding but as a visceral embodied experienced that is real and yet beyond the words. Words can attempt to capture the visceral experience only, which is what many of the great poets and writter's have attempted to do over the ages.
In Yoga tradition the teacher only gives the student what they are ready and willing to receive, no more and no less. But as a student grows in experience and awareness then more is offered.
On a very practical in todays world of kinda way, this Body-mind-spirit connection and communications is very important so that a person can adapt to today fast paced, ever changing world with so many new ideas, technology, conflicting information, new paradigms, external pressures, stressors and changing values. When one is balanced and integrated in BODY~MIND~SPIRIT one has the innate ability to adapt to a ever changing world, not by avoidance but by confidently embracing the new with a knowing that life is truly am amazing adventure of experience from which to grow from and create more new ways to grow from. Each persons soul is eager for wisdom and our human journey with its many twists and turns offers much wisdom, insights and compassion for the soul to grow and expand its own awareness.
What happens when body/mind/spirit are aligned and working more harmoniously together is a deepening of self-trust, self-care, self-honour and the biggest and most challenging of all for humanity right now is self-love. We have lived in a conditional love for a long time passed down to us from parents whom also learnt to live in a conditional love. Now it is imperative that we return to a purer higher love which is not conditional and non-judgemental. With this kind of love pulsating through the body`mind-spirit a person naturally and innately feels and lives in harmony, joy, creativity, trust, confidence with a natural abundant nature and self-esteem and projects this out into the world around them.
This writing was in reply to a email from the U.K. whom had a massage/facial package here at Mountain View Massage & Retreat a few weeks ago and has returned home. Thanks Julie
Magical Blessings
Mary Jo
MJ Halligan