What is this yoga stuff all about?

Practising yoga at the beach

Yoga.

It’s not about twisting yourself into a pretzel – although many who practice yoga can manipulate their bodies in incredible ways.

It’s not about going to classes and learning how to do this posture, or that breathing technique – although practicing asana and pranayama is part of yoga.

It’s not about chanting, or meditating every single day no matter what because that’s your sadhana – although establishing a sadhana ( a daily spiritual practice) is also a part of yoga.

So what is yoga?

It is the realisation of the Self as God.

Yep – you are God. And so am I. We’re all God. And this here planet is our heavenly playground.

STOP.

What thoughts are rioting around in your head right now?

What opinion or belief has shouted out at you from within as you read those words.

Can you catch that thought?

Can you hold it up in front of you, dangling from your finger tips and examine it like it were priceless necklace?

THAT is yoga.

The ability to be aware of each and every thought.

The ability to examine each and every thought.

The ability to understand what gave rise to the thought.

Go back to the thought you captured after reading the statement that YOU are God.

What was it?

Now look underneath that thought. What internal belief of yours gave rise to that thought?

Be curious. Be tenacious. Be honest.

THIS is yoga – examining that which we previously held to be self-evident.

As you examine your thought, and the belief that birthed the thought, be mindful of the NEW thoughts and feelings that this process gives rise to within you.

Do you feel defensive as you turn and look inward and examine yourself? Do you want to defend what you thought? What you believe?

No?

THIS is yoga. The ability to be open, and detached from any thought, any belief.

For when you feel defensive…

When you must try and convince another of the accuracy of your thought, your belief…

YOU are invested in maintaining that particular thought and belief.

It props up one of the illusions you hold in the mistaken belief that is will keep YOU safe.

Ah… you may ask, surely then the statement that “I am God” is something that I think, something I believe.

Well… no.

It’s something I have come to KNOW experientially. (Yep – you guessed it, THIS is also yoga).

And I have no interest in trying to convince you of this idea.

In fact, I would prefer if you DIDN’T believe me.

If you thought it was all absolute hooey.

And if you then went out to investigate for yourself and find out your own way.

Because this too is yoga – finding your own path to the one eternal truth.

If you believe that ‘I am God’, based on what I say, then you too are just believing, not knowing.

I am dangling these ideas out in front of you not because I want to convince you that they are true… but so you may pick them up and examine them too.

I don’t need to convince you of anything, or persuade you, or lock you up if you disagree with me.

I’m curious about what you see and what you perceive.

If yoga is the realisation of the Self of God – it is one thing to think or believe that as an intellectual idea.

It is another thing to understand what it means. It is yet another to take action based upon that knowing, and that understanding.

So what do YOU know to be true, and what does it mean to YOU?