The health of our spirit
Beloved yogis:
I had the pleasure of speaking to the Kinesiology students of Vancouver Island University this past week on the health of the human spirit through the lens of yoga. One of the topics we talked about was on how ailments of the human spirit such as anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, sleep difficulty, feelings of discontent or disconnect, loneliness - are some of the main concerns of yoga, and that the technology, lineages and practices of yoga are designed to address exactly this.
Yoga is comprised of a set of specific techniques of the body-heart-spirit-mind that bring clarity and vitality to the mind, release of tension and blockages in the body, expand and deepen respiratory capacity, all of which have an enormous impact on our mental health, moods, and feelings of what's possible and accessible in our lives.
Some of these yogic tools/technologies are:
Pranayama: building breath and energetic agency.
Asana: Yoga postures to strengthen, balance and tonify the body, organ systems, tissues and entire physiology, while healing the mind.
Drishti: Gazing point practices.
Mantra: healing, protective and reparative to the mind and spirit.
Mudra: meditative hand gestures that activate specific circuitries and energies in the body.
Dharana: a compendium of concentration practices and techniques.
Ananda: Bliss, sacredness, and joy cultivation.
Bhakti and Prema: the active cultivation of love and devotion
Seva: the attitude of service, the active participation in bringing greater wellness, possibility and happiness to our world. Service to the Divine presence in all as a way to heal ourselves from the tenacious claws of of greed, lack mentality, selfishness, ego-driven-behaviors and attitudes, unbalanced emotions, sleepyness, and more.
I hope you are inspired to return to your practice soon. As always, please reach out if you would like support in moving towards your healing and wellbeing through the practice of yoga.
