the intersection of yoga and life
When I first starting practicing yoga I had no idea how much it would influence my life. After a few months of regular practice you start to realize that yoga affects your life off the mat in a positive way. When you create a space in your schedule and add yoga to your daily or weekly routine you are saying, “This is important and I need this.”
What happens on the mat is amazing, but what happens on the mat is just the tip of the iceberg and ripples outwardly. As your body gets stronger and your ability to concentrate increases, the mirror of the practice reveals our patterns. Do we treat ourselves well on and off the mat? Do we prepare ourselves for success? Do we have behaviors that sabotage our life? Do our relationships support our continued growth and development?
tune in to your body’s rhythm
At the intersection of yoga and life you’ll find that your practice informs you and unites you to your inner wisdom and guidance. In short “yoga happens” or “union happens,” we become more connected to our body’s rhythm and our mind’s cycles. When you reach these intersections you realize that you have lots of choices and freedom in your life. You can change the direction of your physical, emotional and spiritual path with every choice you make. With regular practice you will see how your sleeping patterns, diet, and lifestyle affect your body, and how your stress levels, relationships, spiritual path affects your ability to concentrate and well-being.
As we tune into your deepest sense of self we begin to see each day as an adventure and each breath as a new opportunity. “By the practice of the limbs of Yoga, the impurities dwindle away and there dawns the light of wisdom, leading to discriminative discernment.” Book Two – Sadhana Pada 28 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Translation by Sri Swami Satchidananda.
life can you throw you a curveball
Without warning sometimes life will throw us a curveball it might even feel like we are jumping off a cliff. This is where the stability of your practice anchors you. Then there are times when we realize that we are the source of our own problems and the solution. The self-realization that you can control the way you think and steer your thoughts toward healthier ways of thinking is empowering. Gradually you will want to surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you, eating foods that nourish you, expressing gratitude instead of criticism. When you reach this intersection in your life as a yogi you will find life it is all about balance. Once you see that Balancing on one leg on the mat is similar to balancing your energy and time off the mat you will enjoy life’s incredible road trip.
Namaste
Eric Wheeler
Eric believes that a yoga practice provides a path to make connections. His classes focus on the breath, moving between postures, staying calm, opening the body to energy (prana) and finding space to dive into stillness (dhyana). Eric combines themes, words, essence, solar/lunar cycles and music to design a specific mood (bhava). His dedication to Ashtanga yoga is felt when he teaches. Eric has had some wonderful teachers, many studied with the late Pattabhi Jois and currently with R. Sharath in Mysore, India. He hopes to inspire his students and bring the best elements of his teachings to your mat soon.