Dennis Kast \ ... LettingoYoga
Home     Why Yoga?     About     Yoga Classes     Workshops     Yoga Nidra Meditation     Fitness Counseling     Schedule     Special Thoughts     Contact Me      
 
                                                                                             Why Yoga ?

                   

 

 

 I discovered yoga after a thirty year career with IBM and eight years on the New York City Police Department. Many of my friends and my family were curious or surprised when I chose yoga teacher as my next career. It didn't seem like a logical career progression from my prior conservative endeavors. So the question "Why Yoga?" has come up more than once.

 

In the ten years that I've been studying and teaching yoga, I have asked that question of my students and peers as well. Typical answers usually address the physical benefits of yoga such as flexibility, strength, balance. 
  "I want to be more flexible for other sports."
  "I have a 'bad back' and my friends/doctor said  

    yoga might help."

  "I have too much stress - I want to feel more relaxed"
These are all good reasons for practicing yoga. I have often had students come up to me after class and thank me for some of the benefits that they were experiencing. 'I feel more relaxed and I'm sleeping better'. 'I came to class with a nasty headache and by the end of class it was gone.' 'The leg cramps that usually wake me up at night are getting much better.'


Yet, as I continue to explore yoga, my inquiry into this question keeps getting deeper.

 

 

 The word yoga means union; the union of body, mind, sprit. The first time I read that, I thought "What does that mean?" Is this just another new age cliche?

 The more I experience yoga through teaching it, practicing it and studying it, the more the meaning emerges. There is much more to yoga than initially meets the eye - or the body. Practiced with awareness, yoga allows us to see more clearly into ourselves.
 
You can be holding a posture and thinking of what you are going to have for dinner or asking yourself, "Where am I feeling this and what thoughts arise around this feeling?"
After a round of pranayam (breath work) you can move right to the next posture or you can pause and explore the sensation and the energy movement and any feelings you are experiencing. By practicing being present for each experience, you develop more awareness about the movements of your own thoughts, emotions and feelings. As the awareness increases, it extends beyond your yoga practice into your life.
 
You begin to notice when something pushes your buttons and how you react. You can observe what you are feeling and let the feeling flow through rather than reacting to it, often inappropriately. When a wave of emotion flares and you feel that tightness in your throat or those butterflies in your belly, you can breathe and relax. You fully feel and experience the sensations, but you can choose to allow the wave to pass. And when you return to a more balanced state, you can respond appropriately, not reactively.

As awareness grows on and off the mat, you begin to see yourself and others in your life more clearly. You respond more authentically. You will also become more aware when you are behaving reactively. You will notice a shift in your energy and if it is something you choose to do differently, you will change with awareness.

I'm not suggesting yoga is a "magic pill" or "instant fix" for all that life throws at you. Like a healthy life style or good eating habits, changes in awareness happen gradually. But, as you begin to notice the changes, you will want more.

So you continue to practice on and off the mat.
To the question, "Why Yoga", I would certainly answer that I enjoy being more relaxed, more balanced and more flexible, both physically and mentally. But, I especially like being more me.