Deepening Your Practice

While there are many physical benefits that naturally occur with a regualr asana practice, the focus of yoga is not on physical fitness but rather mental agility. Asana is just a KISS of yoga. Through yoga, the goal is to connect to the true Self, the ‘divine essence.’

According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, there are 8 limbs of yoga:

Yama (Restraints)
Niyama (Observances)
Asana (Posture)
Pranayama (Breath Control)
Pratyahara (Withdrawal of Senses)
Dharana (Focused Concentration)
Dhyana (Meditation)
Samadhi (Enlightenment)

Each of these limbs offers guidance on how to live a meaningful life. While I personally find it incredibly challenging to apply all 8 limbs of yoga to my life at all times, I do find maintaining a consistent practice and mindfulness of these concepts helps to create a deeper awareness and understanding. In real speak – I feel better, act better, think better and move better when applying yoga (movement/meditation/journaling) to my daily life.

If you are interested in learning more and deepening your own practice, in addition to the Yoga Sutras, I recommend the following:

Photography by Caroline Jenn Photography