The truth about yoga

I know that the word yoga means union. I know that yoga has eight different limbs or sections and that it is not all about the asanas or poses or throwing shapes. I know that a true yogi does most of their yoga off the mat (ie. embracing the full yoga lifestyle and philosophy). I know that it can make you taller, slimmer, strengthen the nervous system and open your heart. I know that it is a very personal practice and everyone experiences it differently.

I know that yoga can fill in the gaps where we need it most. For some it provides the strength and flexibility to remain healthy and functional. For others it is time out from a chattering overactive mind. A relief, a meditation in movement. Active relaxation. A place of refuge.

What I did not know though was how the discipline of yoga can affect other aspects of life. I did not know it would become a way of keeping my body and lifestyle in check. I did not know how deeply it would make me question my physicality and health and that if I'd been eating badly that my third backbend would let me know all about it.

Yoga does not lie and you cannot lie to yoga.

You can't skip your practice and expect to move on in your asanas. You cant make clandestine deals with yoga perhaps the way you do with yourself (if I drink a bottle of wine tonight and eat all that dessert then I wont do anything unhealthy for the next two days...)

I did not know that yoga can make you confront your demons and ask questions of yourself that you may prefer to leave unanswered. I did not know that yoga could highlight your fails as much as your wins. I did not know that if I remained disciplined on the mat then that discipline would flow into other areas of my life where it was badly needed.

In a chaotic world yoga is a sure thing.

Simple.

You don't even need a mat just the ability to breathe. Where there is breath there is yoga. Where there is yoga there is truth.