Namaste

I’m trying a new addition to my schedule today.  Schedules are good: they help me organize not only my day, but also my thoughts, and get myself ready for what’s about to happen.  In this case, it’s helping not only my mind, but my body as well.  I’ve decided to add a half hour of yoga to my mornings.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine describes yoga as “a mind and body practice in complementary medicine with origins in ancient Indian philosophy.”  We often think of yoga as this new thing—though not so new now: people in the United States have been doing it for years.  But yoga has been practiced for centuries in eastern countries, primarily India, and it provides a vital connection to their belief systems.  Patanjali was the one who originally put the practice into words, circa 200 A.D.  He wrote The Yoga Sutra, which emphasizes balance to bring peace and harmony into one’s life.  (For more information, see my source, http://www.expressionsofspirit.com/Yoga%20Philosophy.htm).  Much more than just a morning workout, yoga gives one an opportunity to find a connection between body, mind, and spirit.

This suits me, because I have a confession to make (one which I believe I’ve made before): I’m lazy.  I don’t want to work out, even if I know it’s good for me.  I’m relatively happy with my body the way it is, and I don’t really want to lose sleep or energy getting sweaty and looking like the clumsy fool that I am.  But I do like to think of myself as a spiritual person, and I don’t think it hurts my Christianity at all to look at the beliefs of others and incorporate the goodness of them into my own life.  Everybody could do with a bit more peace and harmony, I think. 

Ergo: yoga every morning, followed by writing in my blog.  I hope that I can stick to it, but usually once I make a commitment to do something, I will do it.  I have high hopes for yoga—for flexibility, for strength, for wisdom, for wellbeing.  We’ll just have to see where it goes.

P.S.--for a definition of "namaste", click here.

P.P.S.--this is almost unrelated, but it's such an inspirational video I wanted to share it.  Click here to see the story of a man who used yoga and a hell of a lot of courage to get his life back.

Credit photo http://aideabroad.org/yoga/