Yoga - is the practice and embodiment of yoga what makes me a ‘yogi’, or can I fit myself into a mold of yoga? In other words does yoga work from inside out or the outside in?
The various teachers and teachings of yoga divide the lineage, or rather multiplies it into the tree of yoga, creating its different branches and lineages.
Each lineage is more like a combination of rituals, practices, techniques and guidelines towards understanding one self. To understand how we process our immediate world that affects us, daily, and how we connect the dots to form the bigger picture and its long term benefit for all living beings.
As an example, take the guidelines of the yamas and the niyamas. These are roughly understood as our contract and relating with others, supported by our inner values which makes our character.
Looking at the larger picture of world affairs, the global warming, the hostilities and the nuclear powers ready to tip the balance of power, it makes one want to be bury our heads in the sand. With information travelling at the speed it does, its possible to not know what is a fact, or truth, or where it gets muddied by personal agendas and political minds.
For me yoga distils the ‘happenings’. I use the practice of asanas when the emotional and mental bodies are feeling overloaded or spinning. Once the energy is dispersed through the physical practice, I use the breath to guide me into the mental and emotional space. Sitting with a one pointed attention, allows me to find my center. This leads to the next level of figuring "what is mine to do".
With this kind of inner processing, we become better equipped to support a cause.
By first living and being involved in any movement that supports the ways to live a conscientious life which benefits all living beings, is a small yet important contribution towards helping the Environment. Any action that brings one back to the affirmation of “this is mine to do” is the first step. Through the actions, and words we support the world at large.
Are the guidelines and philosophy/psychology of yoga relevant in todays’ time? The answer leads to a yes. The human condition like our basic needs, fears and survival has not changed.
As the world evolves, it changes the ‘context’, or the ‘outer’. If we can manage to understand our ‘inner’ workings then we have a higher chance of making a difference in the outer.
“If we believe in the rebirth of our civilization... then clearly this renaissance must begin in the chambers of our own hearts... We cannot wait for society to change, or for our institutions to be renewed. We, as individuals, must assume responsibility for our own personal transformation.” ~ Georg Feuerstein ~
