If your yoga teacher has ever said something like "take your yoga off or beyond the mat" and you weren't sure what that meant, read on.
You might already be practicing yoga off the mat without even realizing it. Perhaps you stop and take a deep breath before responding when in a stressful situation, or you believe that by putting good energy out into the world it comes back to you, or you choose to live simply and clear clutter from your life. Those are all ways of incorporating yoga into your life in the real world (outside the yoga studio).
Yog (yuj in Sanskrit) means to unite, join, or yoke. It can be viewed many ways, commonly as uniting our individual soul with the universal Soul. I interpret it as uniting our inner and outer worlds – a focus on our entire being (all of the layers that make up the Self) and how we show up in the world.
In the Yoga Sutras, written over 2,000 years ago, Patanjali provides 195 (or 196 depending on who you ask) sutras on the theory and practice of yoga. Part of the Yoga Sutras is the eight-limb path of yoga, culminating in samadhi (a state in which individual and universal consciousness unite).
This all may sound elusive or even irrelevant in our modern world, however, exploring the eight steps and how you can apply the principles in your daily life can bring a sense of peace and joy. I'm posting a day early this week because we have a four-part Yogic Path Series to help you do just that and it starts tomorrow!
I first turned to yoga about 15 years ago to recover from a knee surgery. The only thing I knew about yoga at the time was the physical practice (asana), but what I ultimately found was a way of living that supported my whole being. In fact, yoga ended up transforming my life.
I went from someone who was stressed-out, overworked, and intent on climbing the corporate ladder – not to mention completely disconnected from my body and spirit – to a person who is focused on following my passion of helping others be healthier and happier and living a life of adventure and joy.
Yoga entered my life at just the right time – about a year after I survived a heart attack at 31 years old and when I was at a turning point. I knew that my life as it had been was no longer for me, but I wasn't quite sure what my ultimate path would be. My yoga practice helped me navigate the unfamiliar waters, tap into my inner resources, and remember who I was at heart.
If any of this is intriguing to you, join me starting tomorrow for my four-part series on the Yogic Path. Each week, we'll explore two of the eight steps through discussion and practice. Learn how each step is relevant to you, and how you can apply the principles in your daily life. We'll meet via Zoom Tuesdays, October 8, 15, 22, and 29 for one hour starting at 4:00 PM Mountain Time / 6:00 PM Eastern Time. If you can't make all sessions live, I'll provide you with the recordings for registering. Register here for $75.
I hope you can join us to explore how you can take your yoga off the mat. If you can't attend the series, but are interested in moving through the content on your own time, purchase our downloadable workbook here for $14.99.
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