HarryYoga
is directed at creating the highest
level of energy, flexibility, vitality
and freedom. The only way to do this
is to work with yourself consistently,
not against yourself. By working hard
sensitively, we create an environment
that's healing and that honors each
individual, an environment that respects
our boundaries and works within him
or her. In this way, we create an
atmosphere conducive to natural expansion
and growth. We're not interested in
pushing past our edge to get to a
place where we've been brainwashed
into thinking we need to be in order
to have happiness!
The fact is, we're all different:
different faces, shapes, sizes, personalities,
etc.... We all shouldn't have and
can't have the same bodies. Our life
experiences and genetic dispositions
make us different. Real health and
vitality comes when we stop comparing
and competing with each other, and
start listening to the voice within
that tells us what we need. We don't
need to have the "best body;"
we need to have our own body. By turning
off the controlling mind, we can finally
listen to the innate wisdom that waits
to be heard.
The sad state of this planet is a
prime example of how we've stopped
listening. Our egos and intellects
have gotten so big we've become enamored
with ourselves and our capabilities.
Our great societies, with all their
cities and technological advances,
are monuments to the seemingly unfailing
prowess of the intellect. But the
fact is, our intellect is only a small
fraction of our intelligence. By shutting
down our other faculties in favor
of the intellect, we move away from
our natural balance. Hence, the state
of our people and planet.
Originally, yoga was created to facilitate
the stillness in order to emancipate
the wisdom. Some still use it for
this purpose. Beyond this, yoga is
a tool or system created to facilitate
balance. In order to facilitate balance,
the imbalances need to be exposed
and eradicated. This can be a totally
possible yet challenging endeavor,
and this is where we start losing
people.
Unfortunately, many people don't seem
to want to do the work necessary to
create harmony. When you spill something
on the floor, you clean it up, right?
You don't want to live with that mess.
Well, that's all yoga is designed
to do: bring awareness to the mess
and give you direction to help start
the cleanup.
From the first step in yoga, you start
feeling better simply because your
house has just begun to become cleaner
or less cluttered. The move toward
harmony begins immediately. You don't
need some blind faith that someday
down the road yoga will enlighten
you. The first class helps us quiet
our minds and experience the peace
beyond. This same first class helps
us release some tension, which gives
us a feeling of lightness, balance
and connectedness.
As long as we approach our yoga practice
by listening carefully to what the
body needs and by moving away from
any existing ideas of where our ego
wants this body to be, our initial
experience can be wholly satisfying.
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The hardest part of the practice of
yoga can be honoring our bodies and
what they need in this moment. Too
often we find ourselves slipping back
into our old habits of goal orientation,
self-criticism and re-activeness,
which are the root of so much imbalance,
disharmony, misery, and so forth.
Goal orientation, which sometimes
is expressed as "I'll be happy
when," leads you away from the
here and now. Looking outside yourself
for happiness doesn't work. If you're
not happy now, you won't be happy
for long no matter where you go. Why?
Because happiness, or wholeness, has
to come from within. And wholeness
comes with acceptance of Right Now!
There will always be another place
to go, so there is no such thing as
getting there. As far as your potential
for happiness is concerned, "You
are there." Self-criticism leads
us to feelings of inadequacy, insecurity,
worthlessness, and low self-esteem,
as well as the criticism of others,
which keeps us at each other's throat.
Re-activeness creates tension. Discomfort
is a part of life. Unwanted things
happen, and wanted things don't happen.
Our comfort zones get trampled. No
one, no matter how wealthy or powerful,
can escape discomfort. Yet within
our discomfort, we actually have a
choice: Shall I accept it or not?
Accepting discomfort is intentional
passivity. Non-acceptance is resistance.
But the truth can't be resisted, so
resistance creates disharmony. This
resistance manifests itself as re-activeness,
and these reactions create internal
locks or knots. These locks are held
in the body. As we unconsciously react
more and more, knots upon knots are
built in the body, slowly but surely
forming walls or barriers that start
disconnecting us from ourselves.
Fortunately, our yoga class helps
to create optimal physical health
by enlivening and invigorating our
whole body, ending dormancy, strengthening
the weak links, and releasing the
knots. It also energizes the mind
and provides a safe, controlled environment
for working on all the negative issues
that are exposed. This is the real
key!
Because the body is a direct manifestation
of the mind, as we heal our mind,
our bodies naturally follow. Also,
our bodies are subject to the laws
of nature. Eventually they will dry
up and blow away, because all matter
is in a state of flux. Yet it seems
our minds are subject to no laws.
As far as we know, our minds are limitless.
So it makes sense that through yoga
poses we start to hone and strengthen
the unlimited aspect of ourselves,
our minds! This leads us into a whole
new place of connectedness, balance
and satisfaction.
This information didn't come from
a book. It came from a yoga practice.
We all have deep wells of insight
and creativity that are waiting to
be tapped by the long, strong roots
of yoga.
Namaste,
Harry
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