Before I actually started attending Yoga I thought of it as some religious cult aligned with the Buddha. That was my truth then. I would see people in weird positions in magazines and or television, somehow I knew that laying on a mat in those positions had to be painful and could never be good for me. So while attending a weekly T.R.U.S.T. meeting I heard about some members attending Yoga sessions.
After much contemplation I decided to give the Buddha and Yoga a try. Now after almost a complete year of Yoga I can share with you these new truths I’ve come to know:
- Buddha, although he may have meditated has nothing to do with Yoga.
- Yoga, as defined by Webster’s dictionary is not a religious-cult; it is a system of exercises for attaining bodily or mental control and well-being.
- Yoga has improved my mind and body connection. I am now more attuned and aware of not only the condition of my body but also to other things around me. I have achieved greater flexibility and have finally learned to breathe and stay in my mind while in relaxed positions like child’s pose, or in more challenging positions like downward dog or warrior.
Bringing my thoughts in line to concentrate on nothing but the moment – my breath and the feelings in my body, has been one of the most challenging things for me. Learning to really focus and free your mind from all other distractions except for the occasional voice of our instructor, Katchie, who encourages and reminds us to always be “minding your business,” a mantra we’ve since adopted is not an easy thing to do. But I’ve learned to apply this in my daily walk. I’ve learned to think of the body as a community, and when there is something wrong in your community, you’d like to fix it.
I say Peace –Peace –Peace to all the beings in the universe. Namaste.
