Finding Our Selves
Yoga, a 5,000 year old practice, was originally intended for people to find samadhi, bliss, union with the true self and the divine. While this may seem a lofty goal for today’s practitioner, it is an important aspect of yoga today.
In the age we live in, yoga is primarily practiced for the physical health benefits of keeping the body toned and releasing stress and fatigue from our tired muscles. Realizing bliss and union with god couldn’t be further from our mind’s objective.
Yet, anyone who has had a steady practice of yoga will tell you that the benefits of yoga reach far beyond the body. They may not be able to put their finger on in, but they would tell you that they “feel better” when their practice is consistent and regular.
Yoga doesn’t just make you “feel better” for the hour you are on your mat. It works its way into all aspects of our lives so we feel an overall sense of harmony. We feel like we are better mothers, fathers, co-workers, bosses, and friends. We feel a sense of strength and accomplishment when we experience a new sensation or posture. It can give us insight into our lives to help us make positive changes such as eating healthier, quitting smoking, or even changing careers.
All of these things that make us “feel better” bring us closer to knowing our authentic selves. We begin to have a clearer vision of our life’s purpose.
In the end, isn’t that what we are all looking for? To know ourselves and understand why we are here in this world today.
It is true that yoga can help us achieve the perfect body. More importantly, it is also the process through which we can find ourselves. We find union with all that is.
In this way, even today, we use the practice of yoga to bring us closer to reaching samadhi. Whether we actually reach samadhi is irrelevant. It is the process of finding our true selves on this path that makes this life worthwhile.
Mindy Arbuckle
Owner
Green Mountain Yoga
