| Many people practice yoga for fitness or for | | | | the impermanent and not being content in the |
| therapeutic reasons, but not so many are in touch | | | | present moment because of ego maintenance and |
| with the deeper dimension of yoga-spirituality-in the | | | | our own perception of the world. |
| West. This is no surprise when spirituality is a life-long | | | | Yoga transformation teaches us that happiness lies |
| commitment to ethics and values, continuous | | | | within us. It is always there and present. Our own |
| improvement and reflection on life. | | | | thoughts and behaviors lead us down pathways to |
| In the West, we are constantly bombarded with | | | | places of fear, anger, pain and even physical |
| messages promoting instant gratification: six pack abs | | | | manifestations such as tension, headaches and |
| in less than 8 min., eat whatever you want all day to | | | | chronic conditions. |
| lose weight, never exercise again and so on. | | | | Practicing yoga and meditation is a path or way of |
| I quickly learned that yoga is not easy. It takes | | | | life. It is not a religion, nor does it require to you to |
| consistency, dedication and ultimately it makes you | | | | stop thinking. It actually requires you to think. What |
| examine your inner being on and off the yoga mat. It | | | | you learn allows you to be more compassionate, |
| can be challenging to come to terms with a lie you | | | | more in touch and more content with everyday life. |
| may have told, or how you hurt someone or | | | | While yoga and meditation may involve lots of sitting |
| defaulted on your own personal value system. It's | | | | and breathing, it is not an activity that leads to |
| always easier to skip the practice, only focus on the | | | | detached states of reality. In fact, yoga challenges |
| physical, or deny the opportunity for reflection at all. | | | | you to face the realities of life head on. For these |
| Embedded in the yogic system is an eightfold path of | | | | reasons you may laugh, cry, tremble, sweat and be |
| transformation that teaches us reflection, letting go | | | | filled with joy all from one practice. |
| of negative thoughts and emotions, and unbroken | | | | In the spiritual tradition, I challenge you to begin a |
| concentration or meditation. The key to yoga | | | | 40-day practice of mindful breathing, yoga postures |
| transformation is the process of ending pain and | | | | and meditation. |
| suffering characterized by ignorance, attachment to | | | | |