Although we have really only touched the tip of the iceburg on all things meditation & mindfulness, we’ve decided to move things on & now I’m going to focus on the second passion of mine – yoga.
Let’s get a few things straight, though first! I am not your typical yoga teacher. I’m partial to a good steak, will enjoy the odd glass at wine-o’clock & love a good party – who doesn’t? I have tight hips so my knees don’t elegantly grace the floor in lotus pose & I’m prone to drop the occasional f-bomb. But that doesn’t mean I don’t absolutely love yoga.
So what is yoga? Is it all sweat and stretch? Well, I do like my clients to feel they’ve had a good physical workout, but, and it’s an important but: yoga is more than the pose (in yoga speak poses are called asanas), it’s also what you learn on the way to attaining these poses.
What do I mean?
Yoga means union – union of body, mind & breath. Yoga is a very intentional practice, practicing yoga you are engaged & present. In the beginning you will concentrate on the asana itself & this has a calming effect as you focus on the bodily movements.
However, once you start uniting the pose with your breath this calms the mind, creating space in both the body and mind. This is when yoga moves onto a whole different level & it starts to become a more powerful, all round holistic practice. An emotional, mental & sometimes spiritual practice.
You see, as we start to release ourselves from our ego & forget about perfecting the pose, but instead bring our attention towards awareness, a voyage of self-discovery begins – this is when yoga becomes a practice for mind, body & soul.
As Amit Ray, one of yoga’s great spiritual masters says, “Yoga is the artwork of awareness on the canvas of the body, mind and soul.”
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the ‘go to manual’ for all things yoga, states “Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind”.
On one level all asanas benefit both the external body building strength & muscle tone whilst balancing flexibility & mobility but they also cleanse the body internally – flushing out toxins out of the internal organs, balancing the hormones & the nervous system & reversing the aging process.
But by being intentional & engaged, bringing the awareness to the breath, over time the waves in our mind calm & we get to the point where we have created a palpable sense of peace & calm. We are truly focused & attentive, thinking only of the pose & the breath, totally in the moment & not distracted. We are in a state of flow or in ‘the zone’ which, many believe, is the secret of happiness. Put simply, as only Buddha can, ‘Rule your mind or it will rule you.’
And that’s why yoga is not just about the pose & it take you to a whole different plane than just the physical expression of the asana.
If you would like to practice yoga with Alex her YouTube channel offers free short classes for everyone & is available here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw
Alternatively all of her classes are streamed on live on Zoom, for more information message her at alex@alexbannard.com
Free resources are also available on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AlexBannardYogaMindfulness
And her website is www.alexbannard.com
Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.
