Yôga Lovemarks

I am an ashtangi- someone who studies Ashtanga yoga. It’s a Yôga composed of 8 limbs and each limb is essential to the whole method.

Asana, the third limb, it’s usually practiced daily first thing in the morning,  6 days a week and we take rest during the 7th day, Moondays and menses for women.

Asana helps our bodies stay healthy and our minds calm so we can be receptive to the depth and beauty of life. But ultimately, Yôga is a method to control the mind fluctuations and burn the poisons of the heart. We come to this life with anger, delusion, laziness, desire for material things, envy and ambition in different doses. Somehow, after years of practice something starts changing in our perception. The yoga is 24 hours. How we carry our lives,  how much integrity we put into actions and how kind and available we are to others is the real thing.  How bravely we hit the arena of life ups and lows and try to become each day a better version of ourselves.

Or maybe not. Maybe we are supposed to become entitled, arrogant and self righteous. Maybe  we become telepaths and know the truth about everyone. Who knows if we are even capable of externalising our opinions publicly to put people down and feel a little better about ourselves.

Maybe the yoga we have been taught comes from someone who is also angry, frustrated and unhappy. Maybe our teacher loves to criticise others or feels superior because of his or her amazing asana practice, senior experience or anatomical knowledge. Maybe they preach kindness but are highly competitive. Maybe they walk a crooked talk which has become normal in this times of modern yoga.

Marvellous Instagram feeds and poor
unkind yogis.  Millions of followers but emptiness of hearts. Many of us are truly disappointed on how social media has distorted our drishtis for a false version of a normal human being. Some expand their value as a commodity to sell stuff- creating expectations on many to be like them when yoga it’s exactly the opposite.

Yôga is precisely the shedding of all
the layers of false personality, conditioned ego and tireless mindless overthinking.

Is it just me or do you also feel a lot of bitterness and anger in many practitioners of yoga these days? Reading social media in my field has become a torture. Trolls are everywhere, jumping to attack any attempt to describe something honest or beautiful.

I will keep writing because I’m not here to please anyone. I’m a student of yoga and Yôga tells me to write about my personal truth. It may or not resonate with others; it may itch people in the wrong way, especially the so called yoga politicians.

But maybe, just maybe, it may inspire someone who is feeling lonely and in despair. Maybe that one human being will pick up practice because of this and who knows, like me may end up where he or she always wanted to be:

Comfortable in their skin; peaceful in their hearts.

Yoga is the act of coming back to ourselves day after day. Is the responsible action of focusing in who we are and perceiving the world from that inner expansion. For that to happen we need the right guidance.

Students are the walking biography of a teacher.

I have been immensely fortunate to find a teacher that keeps inspiring me everyday and has for many years. He is hardworking; simple and shy. He is also immensely strong and giving. Maybe I’m naive; maybe I’m a fool to others eyes. But I do know I have found a treasure that is intrinsically valuable to the deep longing of my heart.

Do you want to stay angry and judgemental? Is that the state you have reached doing your “yoga”? Are you doing the best in your life so you don’t have time to check on what others are doing?

Or are you so inspired and fulfilled that everything you see and everywhere you go you feel grateful?

Yoga is not here to fixate the poisons any further. Is here to liberate us, you and me the same and any other human being in need.  In this world of falses hopes and dreams, a yoga practice empty of guidance can get you lost in the jungle of the illusion.

Regather your spirit and be brave enough to check your guides. If they are honest teachers, they will guide you towards freedom from suffering. If they have a hidden agenda they will push you deeper into the abyss of samsara- even with the pretty postures.

So many times in life we learn things by contrast and need to experience the poison to be able to truly appreciate the honey.

Find your way to inner peace and love, the lovemarks of yoga.

There is no time to waste.