Forgot To Love Yoga…

Somehow I have a feeling that my yoga practice somewhat hit a “plateau”… in spirit… It’s like a lot of happenings in my life, in other people’s lives around you, the friends that come and go… somehow I stopped reading about yoga. I forgot to “love yoga” as it should be loved.

I used to be so passionate about yoga that I go for 3 classes a day and crave for knowledge, reading through magazines, books and more books. But now, life took over and I had forgotten the joy of yoga, finding myself in yoga.

I was suddenly aware of this fact while talking to Shirley yesterday. Somehow excuses always came and yoga was put on “back burners”, although luckily, I still go for practice everyday or at least 5 days minimum per week. The physical aspect of yoga, as in the asanas I know I am improving and practicing… but I had forgo the real important part of yoga – the mind. ( breath too but at least in some classes I still do some pranayama )

So, yesterday night, I made myself read about Anusara yoga. And a light shone somewhere in me. What I read really bring out what I think yoga should be and how yoga was meant to help people :

To re-inspire people in their life, to make people connect to their goodness inside and know that they are beautiful as they are, to help people find personal empowerment ( much like Tony Robbin‘s teachings on Personal Power – great book! ) and to help people in finding relief in their physical health problems.

This is what yoga should be about. Or rather teaching yoga is about…as I perceived. Focusing on helping the students. Or what a yoga teacher should be focusing on (disclaimer : I am not a teacher…. what I feel…). And not focusing on petty self centered issues like who is most popular in the studio, who is best in yoga, jealous of others, who teaches the best students, saying which students is terrible, discouraging, or think that they are superior to the students etc. That said, a good yoga teacher should always improve themselves too, not for themselves, but for the fact that by improving themselves, they can better help and nurture their students. Thus being a yoga teacher is certainly no easy task! ( kudos to all the yoga teachers who gave sincerely their all to their students! )

But I believe in this mantra : if you give with your goodness and sincerity of heart, what you receive without asking is tenfold what you gave out ( probably in some other form ).

This works pretty much in very situation. This is how the universe works, in a mysterious but wonderous way.

I am so glad I took the time to read. That paragraph really touched me, like a warm comforting hand that calm my soul ( with a sigh and a nod ). ==> getting a bit literary, am I? The very next day seems brighter and I feel lighter. I wonder why.

Thus I am going to read every night on yoga, it may be just a short paragraph every night but I am sure this is the sort of inspiration that I need!

OM~

Thoughts? Comments? What are the qualities that make a good yoga teacher?

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