Of the 7 billion people on the planet today, it’s safe to say that only very small portion are actually practicing yoga because yoga has become something for people that have time and money. One cannot begin to refine their lifestyle and prioritize their wellness until one’s basic needs are met. In its original form, yoga was practices by aesthetics ( insert definition) and it’s safe to say now that the primary social economic group of people practicing yoga on earth today are mosty women with time and money on their hands in America. (I know I’m being redundant)
After spending many years practicing and studying a wide array of physical wellness modalities, I have observed that there are only so many ways to move your body. Whether you want to look good, feel good or live longer, I have come up with a secret formula -LOOSEN up your TIGHT spots and TIGHTEN up your LOOSE spots. It sounds like a play on words, which it is, but it’s also a fool proof method to harmonize the push / pull energies of your body while creating muscular balance around well aligned bones.
Let’s face it- we have two arms, two legs, a pelvis, a rib cage and a head; and a circular halo of light above our head, to be technical, but that’s a whole other subject. On the physical plane there are really only so many ways in which we can bend our body. If we wanted to make life really simple we could say we:
- bend forward to touch the toes
- draw to our heel to our bottom
- spine can flex, extend, rotate, side bend and elongate (which is called axial extension and is basically the key to having well aligned chakras and therefore amazing emotional health)
- we can stretch out like a starfish and we can curl up like a ball
I’m sure I’ve missed a few. My point is, unless you’re planning to be a model on Yoga Journal Magazine, most of yoga is not necessary to have an amazing mind-body connection and uplifted spirit and therefore a better experience as a soul living in your body.
It is fundamental to understand that yoga in its original purpose was not a performance or sport but rather a journey to the so-called universe within.
Regular meditation and practicing of basic gentle postures can have a transformational effect on anybody’s life regardless of age, religion or personality.
I am actually purposely reaching out to the people that claim “not to be Yoga people.”
As long as you’re moving in the direction of expansion and freedom in your body it really doesn’t matter how far you ever go. As long as your awareness is increasing year-by-year your personal vitality will remain strong until your last days on earth.
