We come to our mats mostly for the physical experience. Yoga stretches and strengthens us, creates balance and poise, gives us options in our body and keeps us young. But there’s an element of yoga that’s beyond words. Beyond well-being that a yoga practice creates is something deeply personal that we also know to be a shared experience. What is it?
There’s certainly no need to put words to the deep inner experience of yoga, but my own curiosity around this notion has been a driving force for my yoga practice that began some 28 years ago. I remember walking out of my first yoga class feeling like I had taken my very first breath! My body had been opened up, and my mind had been set free. “What just happened,” I asked? “What is this thing called yoga? And why does the word mean ‘to join?’ ”
I never stopped asking this question, and that has made all the difference! If you keep asking this question, all other questions will be answered. Get curious–not just about your body, but your mind. “They” were onto something 4,000 years ago! There’s a reason the Yoga Sutras are devoted more to mind and than body. There’s a reason yoga has stuck around this long.
If you, too, are curious about the deeper meaning of a yoga practice, I invite you to pick up a copy of my new book, The Yoga Mind, next time you’re in the studio. More than physical yoga, its gentle message gives deep meaning to a lifetime. Its the inspiration that led to Yoga Loft. See if its an inspiration to you–but above all, regardless of the form it takes, keep enjoying your practice!
Peace and Love,
Jeff Bailey
