I've been doing yoga for about a year and a half now and I've always enjoyed the physical aspect of how it makes my body feel. Recently, I've been getting more interested in how it also calms my mind and focuses my energy. I decided to explore this further by reading the book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga" by Deepak Chopra. It was a great read, I definitely recommend it!
I always get books from the library because I don't typically re-read books. However, I think I might actually go buy this one because I folded down the corners of probably 75 of the 200 pages indicating parts I wanted to remember. There was so much great information that there is no way I can share it all, but here are a few things I took away.
Yoga is much more than a system of physical fitness. It is a science of balanced living, a path for realizing full human potential. In these tumultuous times, yoga provides an anchor to a quieter domain of life, enabling people living in a modern technological world to stay connected to their natural humanity. Yoga offers the promise of remaining centered in the midst of turbulence. The essential purpose of yoga is the integration of all the layers of life - environmental, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. The word yoga is derived from the Sankrit root yuj, which means "to unite." At its core, yoga means union, the union of body, mind, and soul; the union of the ego and the spirit.
Yoga philosophy begins with the spirit. Getting in touch with your spirit is the true goal of yoga. It occurs naturally when your mind quiets and you are able to access the inner wisdom that emerges from the deepest aspect of your being. There are three key questions that help shift your internal reference point from ego to spirit. They are: Who am I? What do I want? How can I serve? Whether or not you are aware of it, these questions are directing your choices in life. Regularly bringing your current answers to conscious awareness enables your to be alert to the opportunities that resonate with the needs of your soul. The true purpose of yoga is to discover that aspect of your being that can never be lost. Your job may change, your relationships may change, your body may change, your beliefs may change, your desires may change, but the essence of who you are is the continuity of awareness that has no beginning or end.
During your yoga practice, the Law of Giving and Receiving is lively in every breath you take. With each inhalation and exhalation, you are exchanging ten billion trillion atoms with your environment. Right now, take as deep a breath as you possibly can and hold it. Hold it as long as you can, and notice how uncomfortable you begin to feel when you are holding onto something that is meant to be released. Now, exhale as fully as you can and hold your breath with your longs fully emptied. Again, feel the discomfort that arises when you are resisting taking in something that you need. Whenever you resist the Law of Giving and Receiving, your mind becomes anxious and your body becomes uncomfortable. Anytime throughout the day that you feel resistance in your body because things are not going the way you think they should, bring your attention to your breath and use it to regain your sense of effortless receiving and releasing.
The Law of Detachment teaches us that in order to acquire something in this world, you have to relinquish your attachment to it. This doesn't mean you give up the intention to fulfill your desire - you simply give up your attachment to the outcome. Attachment is based on fear and insecurity. When you forget that the only genuine source of security is your true self, you begin believing that you need something outside yourself in order to be happy. You may believe that a certain amount of money, a new car, or losing ten pounds may result in greater feelings of security within yourself. Unfortunately, whenever your happiness is based upon something other than your true self, insecurity arises because you know at a deep level of your being that whatever is bringing you happiness can be lost and therefore has the potential to bring you pain. According to the principles of yoga, the only true security comes from your willingness to embrace the unknown, the realm of uncertainty. Practicing detachment and embracing uncertainty, you relinquish your need to hold on to the past, which is the only thing that is known. Being open to what is happening rather than trying to control how things unfold, you experience the excitement, adventure, exhilaration, and mystery of life.
This is getting long, so that's all I'm going to share right now. Go check out the book!
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