The practice of Yoga is a life-style. It is not a religion but the roots are in the spiritual practice. With that said, any practitioner of Yoga can have or not a specific religion and implement the teachings and techniques of yoga for a deeper connection within.
I do not have much knowledge about religion nor I want to have, but in my view and opinion is that religion are made for people to have guidelines of how to behave with themselves and others and to connect with the Divine. If you study and practice the Yamas and Niyamas you will notice that lots of guidelines of how to live are very similar in most of all religions in the world. The ultimate step is Self-realization and complete connection with the Divine or Creator. Each religion have their own name and idea for what created us and that's ok. Our ultimate goal is to connect with endless Love.
The Yoga practice do not ask you to be religious but it will ask you to be spiritual, otherwise it's just a physical exercise. When the Yoga practice transcends the physical, it connects us to the invisible body, the inner body, where our energy resides. The Yoga practice clear up the energy body, old patterns, negative feelings and thoughts and a sense of everlasting peace will surround the heart.
There is a famous part of the bible about Love 1 Corinthians 13:4 -13 that I would like to discuss in the point of view of the practice: So here we go!:
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- Love is patient
How hard sometimes to understand such a simple statement like that. We practice because we want peace, love and a deeper connection within. We want to find purpose in our lives. We want to be happy among all the suffering in this world. Sometimes we want something so bad that we do not give enough time to happen. The most simple and visible way is during the physical practice. We want the next pose, next series, we want to bind and nail the posture. We need to love ourselves enough to give time. Nothing blooms out of nowhere. The flower do not bloom in two days, the larvae to become a butterfly in a blink of an eye. Everything have it own process. Everything and everybody have their own time and It is Not our will to decide when it will happen. Everything that is rushed it causes stress in the mind and in the body. Patient is calm, patient make us humble. When we are humble, we surrender to Divines forces. When we surrender to Divine forces, the right thing will happen, because it's perfect, just like everything else in nature.
-Love is kind
Ahimsa. When we truly love ourselves, we reflect the same love and understanding towards the others living beings. If I don't like to suffer, I don't like you to suffer. Simple like that. Independent if "you" are a person, a cow, an ant or a dog. Try to be kind and compassionate first toward yourself and then you can reflect the same intention to the others. When we start the spiritual practice in Yoga, this is the first thing we need to understand and practice. How to be kind to yourself during practice? Yoga happens in the limits of the comfort zone correct? Yes correct. But you don't want to explode your limits. Be kind to the body. Be patient.
-Love does not envy
How that does apply in my practice? Many ways....
One of the amazing tools I love about the Tristhana method is the Dristhi ( or gaze point ) during the practice. For each posture you are suppose to direct your gaze to an specific direction or part of the body. It's great for concentration and sharps the mind. When you have your Dristhi, you don't pay attention at others around you, you are focused. You have no time to look how somebody practice looks like. That's it. When I practice Mysore style I only feel the people energy around but I don't even know what they are doing because I have my Dristhi mode On. Out off the mat keeping the Dristhi in ourselves it's important so we do not compare our lives or our practice or relationships or whatever to the others. Focus in yourself. Keep the Dristhi in Love.
-Love do not boast
Instead of using your accomplishments only to yourself, be strong enough to magnify others. Uplift and help the people. Love has wisdom and applies humbleness and gentleness, and is under control. If we are being boastful, we undertake an active attitude of deliberate self-acceptance over humility and we will ignore wisdom and become foolish and arrogant.
The expression “love is not proud” is similar in meaning to the preceding statement in the same verse, “love does not boast.” There is a significant difference, however. Pride is the state or feeling itself whereas boasting is the expression of that feeling. Pride is the mindset and attitude while boasting is the speech and conduct. The opposite of pride is humility. The proud person credits himself for his attainments and advantages. The humble person feels he does not deserve what he has received and counts them as blessings. The proud person feels superior to others. The humble person considers the position and welfare of others of equal importance to his own – if not greater in importance to his own. Pride and vanity will swell the mind with the conviction of self-importance. But love is humble, meek, mild, and modest.
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-It does not dishonor others
Love does not dishonor because love is not humiliating, demeaning or inappropriate.
Living in honor of yourself means to simply respect who you are, to at the very least accept who you are and that you exist here, to accept that you have a place in this world and that you have the 'right' to express yourself and in a way 'claim' that place that is yours in this world. When we practice that we also honor others. The practice of Yoga teach us to accept ourselves wholy, to express ourselves unconditionally and to care absolutely. Teach us to accept, support and express , rather judge, reject and suppress under self-diminishing thoughts and emotional experiences.
-It is not self-seeking
Rather, those who genuinely love neither take any thought for themselves nor pursue their own interests. They are unselfish. In a culture that is overrun with a sense of entitlement and egocentrism, this is a critical lesson to be learned. I do believe in self love, but we should be mindful if we are taking advantages or manipulating others around us to our own interests. We should never demand or expect from others some type of attitude only to fulfill our own needs. With love as our motivation, and unselfishness as our goal, loyalty and faithfulness to the Divine and to others can be built.
-It is not easily angered
The physical postures of Ashtanga yoga combined with proper breathing it calms and balance the nervous system. It clear up the Nadis, the channels that brings Prana or Life Force up to the brain in the energetic body. When the brain is balanced (right and left side) our thoughts and emotions are also equanimous. The right side of the brain is responsible for the feminine or Lunar qualities in us and the left side is responsible for the masculine or Solar energy. Anger its a sign that the we are allowing excessive Solar energy to be dominant in the mind. Anger can have many forms and all the forms are like a poison to ourselves and those around. Anger can be quick and explosive, usually happens because something we didn't expect happened. Anger can be also silent, can lead to sadness and depression. Either way an angry mind lead us to stress and unhappiness. The goal of yoga practitioners is to have a calm and equanimous mind, even when we have unpleasant and stressful situations. Of course you will get angry sometimes, its natural. The yoga practitioners will recognize body and mental signals even before the emotions to take over control and from that sense it will control himself. This is what we seek. Mind control.
-Keep no records of wrong
We live life truly in the present moment. We are dying. We have no time to waste keeping negatives feelings from the past. Forgive yourself and forgive others. Everything is impermanent. When we let go of the past or what had hurt us we are free. We create space for new life and growth. I had hurt myself many times in the past, I had self destructive behaviors. I had depression and many ghosts to torment my mind. This practice is teaching me how to be strong enough to love myself and pick myself up every time Im down. It really does not matter what you have done to yourself in the past, what others have done to you or what have you done to others if you truly recognize, forgive and allow this empt space to be filled with love and compassion.
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- Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth
We can think of Evil anything that Do Not serves us, our life and our purpose. Anything that takes you further from the Ultimate Truth. True Love is not made from satisfaction only. True love do not enjoy any type of disgrace or suffering. We are living in a world that rejoice the evil. Rejoice suffering and disgrace. We are in war and we a part of an evil society. We kill and torture animals for food or we are silent about it. We slave people for cheap clothing and fashion industry. We are part of a big and cruel plan. There is not much we can do except living in truth every moment we can. We sometimes can't help in feeling satisfaction when a murder get a death sentence or get killed. A equanimous mind do not take side. We can have thoughts but not allowing emotions to control over the mind.
- It always protects
When we protect we care. Starting with self care and self protection. Living an healthy life. When I say healthy life mean healthy in the mind, body and soul. We should protect ourselves from unnecessary stressful situations, for example arguing with someone. Taking care of our body and life style. Our body is the place where for now we are living in. It need to function in a good way, we need to keep healthy. The mind need to be filled with positive thoughts. Never over forcing others to the same. Your example is everything. Sometimes we are fragile. The practice gives you enough power to protect us from negative thoughts and weakness. Sometimes we need to give power and strength to those around us. Love is power and Love protects us from our weakness.
-Always trust
When we trust we create faith and when we have faith we believe in a greater power beyond anything we know. When we trust we surrender and we never give up. When we trust we create enough confidence in ourselves and in others. I trust that love always win. I trust in the deep Truth and light within. I trust in my practice and in my intentions. I trust in my students and in my teachers. I trust myself. Trusting is not being naive. It is being strong enough to believe that even if someone or some situation go south you will support yourself. Because you are made of Love and you trust the Universe Plan.
-Always hope
Never lose hope in yourself or others. Sometimes we have difficulties in life. Everything changes. Just like it becomes dark at night, next day the sun is born. Life is a balance of opposite forces and the practice teaches us to accept it at all. Embrace everything. The good and the bad. Just like Yin Yang.
-Always perseveres
Keep faith on the path. It is not easy to love and to allow love to rule our life but with perseverance we can do it. Keep striving for the Truth within. Love endure all things. Be strong enough when things get out of control or tough. Be strong to keep your faith in yourself and humanity. Be strong enough to believe that Love always win and Love is the ultimate path to Truth. We show love when is and when it's not convenient, because in the end only Love that really matters. Be committed to yourself to seek the highest good no matter what type of adversities you encounter on your path.
Love be aways with you!
Namaste.
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