Yoga is not a performance The most impressive Yoga postures – beautiful back bends, spectacular balances or advanced hip-openers are tempting for almost all Yoga practitioners. The beauty of Yoga attracts people all over the world, and brings many to a first yoga class. We want to do full Padmasana or Kapotasana, we dream about bringing our legs behind the head. We want to go always deeper, higher, wider… as if we needed to “reach there”, or prove that we can, and so many times on our way we keep on ignoring many important limits and contraindications.
Yoga for just doing Asanas
It may lead to serious injuries and honestly – most of the time – doesn’t make any sense to us – neither to our bodies, nor to our minds. We don’t practice Yoga for just doing Asanas, but rather for multiple benefits which they are famous for. Yoga was designed to improve human health and inner virtues, and by 8 steps described by Patanjali in Yoga Sutras this peaceful and conscious lifestyle should bring us to ultimate freedom – from suffering, from material reality, from temporary illusions, such as ego, desires, pain. Yoga is not a performance Every step on the mat should be then conscious. Every step on the mat should be respectful and harmless. We should constantly remind to ourselves where our limits are, and where our true Yoga practice ends. The real Beauty is everywhere – in each simple movement, in each conscious breath, on each peaceful face, in each peaceful heart. The real Beauty comes from inside – whichever position your body takes.
Yoga is not a process of satisfying the Ego
Yoga is not a performance. Yoga is not showing-off. Yoga is not a process of satisfying the Ego. The aim of Yoga is not to go into “Scorpio” or “Hanumanasana”. Apparently we know all these phrases. And still, even as advanced, experienced practitioners or teachers so many times we catch ourselves on “pushing” our bodies to the limits for just some Aesthethical satisfaction. Whenever we press our hips to the floor, whenever we push our foot towards the top of our head, or whenever we bend deeper and deeper to reach the floor, we should ask ourselves and answer honestly – isn’t it already a violence? Is this what my body really needs? Is it for my benefits? Are we still doing Yoga? Do we still respect Ahimsa – non-violence as the first and basic step to reach Inner Harmony?
4-weeks intensive Yoga Teacher Trainings
Yoga is not a performance, raja kapotasanaI’ve been practicing Yoga for 13 years. I’ve been teaching Yoga for last 4, and recently frequently in India. I teach mostly people who also want to teach Yoga, and need a professional training. I am a primary teacher in 2 Indian schools providing 4-weeks intensive Yoga Teacher Trainings. Many students who I meet left their old professions and decided to change their lives, review values, re-organize a lifestyle to be healthier, live slower and more conscious. They don’t want to earn much money, they don’t want to be slaves of the system, but rather staying away from a “rat race” they need their Peace and Freedom. Yoga is not a performance We run Yoga Alliance registered professional courses respecting the standards of this profession, and trying our best to prepare people from all over the world to spread this beautiful ancient science in a proper way – adjusted to a modern man, Western world, responding to people’s contemporary needs. People come to us with many expectations and their own definitions of Yoga today. Yoga is not a performance Many of them are attracted by advanced Yoga postures, and quickly forget the precautions and warnings. The biggest challenge for us as Yoga Teachers’ trainers is to open their minds for deeper understanding of Yoga – rooted in spiritual tradition,leading to Liberation and Bliss. We need to start with Ahimsa – Non-Viloence, and Ahimsa refers – first of all – to us ourselves.
Most of us know this beautiful philosophy, but when it comes to a practice we seem to forget it all. Why do we loose this awareness when we are on the mat? Why are we ready during our Yoga practice to compromise our knees or lumbar spine? How many injuries could we avoid if we accept, just accept our limits and enjoy them wherever they are! Yoga can be a beautiful therapy and support, but used in a wrong way it can lead to injuries and pain. Yoga is not a performance Safety always first! Yoga is not a performance. It is never enough to repeat it, and without deep understanding of this simple rule Yoga cannot happen.
I met so many different personalities and energies, so many different body types… Everybody is different, and this is the key to understand the meaning of modification in our Yoga practice. Flexible hamstrings will not make us better Yogis. One more impressive picture on facebook neither… We need to ask ourselves again and again – why do I do Yoga? Why not any other sport or fitness style? If we accept Yoga as a tradition of bringing a real happiness to our life, we need to accept its main concepts.
bow advancedThe main idea in Yoga is to quiet the mind. Yoga is not a performance The basic aim is not to get affected by its desires, “likes” and “dislikes”, emotions, “needs” or expectations. So, whenever your mind starts demanding – “be better” (or at least “as good as” someone else) you need to just observe it carefully, like a movie, and stay independent, untouched by its voice. Whenever “something” pushes you to “go deeper” (which brings already stress to your body and acts against Yoga) try to step back and just watch it. After a while you will see that “scorpio”, full “locust” or side crow don’t matter at all. It is all about aesthethics. Yoga is not a performance The Beauty of Yoga can give you inspiration, motivation, but shouldn’t pump up your ego or expectations. Yoga is not a performance The Beauty of Yoga is already there – in every movement you take on your mat, because it is conscious, peaceful and makes you feel happier. No matter how perfect or imperfect your asanas are, this beautiful Yoga practice is your own way to reach Freedom, Love and Fullness.
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