Yoga Sutra 1:1 Atha Yoganusasanam
The Yoga begins now.
This very first sutra carries within it the most profound message that yoga is not just a philosophy, it is a practice and a way of life. It is not just a way of thinking, it is a way of acting. It is something that we do; and when we continue to show up time and time again with earnest effort and pure intention, yoga is something that we become. Yoga means to yolk, and bring into Union. We can interpret this word Union in so many ways. The sutras teach us that this union means remembering our human self is one with our spiritual divine self. When we remember this divine energy within ourselves, our capacity to see and remember it in others expands tenfold. Through Yoga we unite our minds, bodies and hearts; when we step fully into our wholeness, we can reflect that wholeness back to one another.
What we do on the mat is a practice for life. Each breath that we take brings us closer to our true nature. Each way we move our body brings us closer to the deepest truths that live within us. Each moment in conscious presence invites us to realize that we are connected to all there is, all there ever has been, and ever will be.
When we step off of our mats, I invite us to remember to reflect our practices outward with each step that we take in the world. I invite us to arrive in each moment of our lives with a true and vulnerable presence. I invite us to bravely speak our truth and to hear our voices in the world, and also to listen openly and believe the truth of another. I invite us to live our Yoga through our actions by using our energy in ways that will support ourselves and one another, and to always make choices with the deepest integrity, led from the wisdom of our Hearts.