Finding your truth in your yoga

Image of Hanuman, the Monkey God, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
My life or yours? In our Western society, and increasingly in Eastern and traditional societies, we are encouraged to think of our own needs and interests. Sometimes we are even encouraged or tempted to step on other people's opportunities, dignity or identities as a way to 'get ahead'. Selfishness is sometimes held up as a value, as something legitimate that gets results.

The yogic way teaches us that such an approach is filled with illusion and eventually leads to great suffering and a sense of anxiety, disconnection and stress. The yogic way is to move to silence, to study the breath, the body, the mind, one's intuition, the flow of time and to recognise that liberation comes not from isolating ourselves but by finding ourselves in the inter-connectedness of the world.

It is by opening our heart, feeling our own painful experiences, having compassion for the pain of others, that we discover fundamental truths about life, and discover the real meaning of life. Money, possessions, power all provide some temporary thrill, but they will also wilt on the vine and leave us feeling empty and confused. Empowering ourselves by the long journey of self-knowledge, generosity, compassion and inter-connectedness, what venerable Thich Nhat Hanh calls 'interbeing' is the path to a life filled with happiness and satisfaction.

Not sure? Give it a try. See which path brings peace.

Namaskara....

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Special Easter Sunday class - Cape Men's Yoga & Meditation

Image
We have moved to our amazing new venue in Constantia in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. This beautiful space is well equipped for our men's naked yoga on Sundays. We've moved the time to 10.30 to 12.30 to fit in with the venue scheduling. We will have a naked yoga class this Sunday, 27 March 2016. We'll be explore the use of bandhas - the body locks which influence energy flow and protect the body from injuries. As we finally have good wall space we are also going to be doing an introduction to handstands. Handstands for some reason have become a craze on social media. That is not a good reason to learn them - but they are also interesting in teaching us about balance, about seeing the world from a different angle and in building up shoulder strength. If you are terrified of handstands, don't worry, there will be other options for you. You are never obliged to do a posture that could cause you problems or anxiety. Yoga is always about your specific jou...
Read more

Cape Men's Yoga & meditation - Sunday 1 May 2016

Image
  SUNDAY 1 MAY 2016 Dear yogis - as you likely understood, we had to suddenly postpone last week's class. There was a break-in and accident at the yoga centre. The problem has been sorted out and Hector will be able to take the class this Sunday.  He will be working with the theme of intimacy of silence. Beginners are welcome.  We are pleased to announced that one of the most gifted of our new generation of teachers, Hector, will be taking the class this coming Sunday. Hector has trained in India and is accomplished Zen meditator and teacher. He combines his own experiences of body fitness, meditation and yoga to pull together a beautiful practice of mindful movement. If you have been looking for something special, something that inspires you and brings peace to your heart and mind, please join us for this special class.  We are now back in the southern suburbs at an excellent venue with a full yoga hall, sprung floors, mirrored wall space and eve...
Read more

Cape Men's Yoga & Meditation - special Yin Yoga class - 10 July 2016

Image
NAKED MEN'S YIN YOGA PRACTICE IN CAPE TOWN Join us for this special Yin yoga class. We will be teaching this unusual form of yoga - slow and using gravity rather than muscular strength. Yin draws on our lunar energy and the intuitive mind. Most yoga is 'yang' in that it is muscular and energetic. Yin allows us to let go, to let go of the physical effort and concentrate just on being. Yin is a way to explore the unexplored - to be mindfully exactly where we find ourselves.  Each posture is held for five full minutes - working through a sequence of floor postures where the focus in on the still mind rather than on the form of the asana.  This is arguably one of the most meditative styles of yoga. Though working without physical exertion it is still challenging and we confront our own mental reactions to comfort and discomfort, stillness and concentration.  We are at a venue in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. Beginners are welcome. It is a fully nude male practic...
Read more