Why do we practice

Why do we practice yoga?

Do you have to be flexible?

Do you have to be young and trendy looking?

The reason I started yoga many years ago, was for a very vain reason; I thought that all those who practiced looked so youthful, their body looked healthy, their legs were toned and strong.

But also I had a deeper knowing that they had an inner strength which is much needed living in the life we are in.

After class I felt good, happy, optimistic.

In the teachings I’ve been shown and more of recent times I am still learning and evolving.

I don’t practice to make my body to look youthful although it’s holding me up quite well and I feel balanced and well most of the time.

My teacher Angela Ashwin has recently written a book called Pranayama Lost in Translation and explains why we practice pranayama that relates to breath work but it is more than that.

It gives us our life back, our mind’s back, symptoms in the body are releasing. We are evolving even though we are ageing, in years.

Through this practice of pranayama; which means expanding life, we are learning all the time what we are more than just a body with a brain.

The Ancient yogis worked on the life within the body and not on the anatomical body. They could understand that life needs to move us and help us to evolve.

Yes the bi- product is feeling more healthy, brighter, clearer in mind and even the personality can become more cheerful.

But what is THAT which feels different and yet we are in the same body.

The mind is free and still of thoughts and then the aliveness expands and moves us on to where we should be in our lives.

THAT is awareness detaching from our thoughts, beliefs attachments and body.

It is something to experience.

Classes are for mixed abilities mindfulyoga.org.uk

Om Shanti 🙏