“The nature of Yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body” – Jason Crandell

Yoga encourages unification of the body, mind and spirit and experiencing the totality of the present moment. Very often we are somewhat physically and mentally somewhere completely different. That means we’re not truly present in the gift of life unfolding in front of us and we end up going through life predominately living in our minds. Practicing yoga trains the mind to exist within the body and within the senses and allows a shift from living life through the perceptions of the mind to living life through the senses – through the gift of sight, sound, touch and taste. As Osho famously said “when you live within the present moment, your life becomes a continuous song and blessing unto itself”.

So yes, yoga is not about being in a precarious looking pose whilst wearing a crop top.  It is about true self awareness of your thought, actions and words on a moment to moment basis. What are you thinking right now? Are your words and actions in alignment with the person you want to be.  Are you serving your body with the food you choose to eat. Yoga is the ultimate practice of self-responsibility as you choose to take ownership as the creator of your own life and begin to consciously choose the thoughts, words and actions in alignment with the life experience you wish to create for yourself.

Yoga is not something external to need to go out of your way to practice or do. It is you, and the opportunity to practice yoga lies within each moment. Are you truly present in the here and now. Are you aware of the thought you put out and the words you speak over your life.  This is the true practice of yoga – continuous self-awareness of yourself as the creator of your own life experience.

Holistica Magazine 2019.