"Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees."
-B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga has manifold benefits, experiences, and practices. To try to distill and articulate it is difficult, except I believe this sentence, right here, does that. Poetically, a sentiment that could only be articulated by someone who has undergone the change, so described, regarding yoga. How beautiful a revelation in and of itself, let alone one shared with the world in way that it might crack open other hearts and minds, or at least crack the door, piquing interest.
Perhaps you have heard the adage, you are what you eat, although Ayurveda contends that you are what you digest, and most instinctively know this to be true. I mean, think about a brain freeze. Taking it a bit further, one can easily posit that you become what you consume. Even personal development is keen on this fact: Jim Rohan attributed with saying, “You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” Well, yeah! How could that not be true?! Even tuning forks will share resonance when in proximity and of the same type, and one has been struck while the other left untouched. The examples go on and on, but why is this important? Because if you practice yoga and you consume the lessons, realizations, and liberations that it can lead to, you cannot help but be transformed in that consumption! Not to be confused with tuberculosis, although B.K.S. Iyengar was a proud survivor of TB among others, and able to transform his lungs and himself through yogic practices to overcome any potential limitations. We are not just learning to see differently, you become that difference. You cannot learn something without it becoming a part of who you are! Period. Embrace it. But also honor the unique expression and journey everyone has in this mystery we call Life.
More interesting is a quote from Ghandi,
“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do."
I could strive to sum it up better, but I won’t even try. His enlightenment and transformation is very evident in just these few reflections. Let it soak in for a moment before continuing, maybe even read it again.
Could it be that all our suffering is just a projection from within out it to the world? A stage play set by us to teach us about our inner world, but acted out more like a flash mob before our eyes? Not just the suffering, but all the benevolent and affirming things as well. If we could wake up to it like in a lucid dream. What could we create? What limitations could possibly exist? Where would you start? The process of change isn’t easy, nor is it linear or even intuitive at times. That’s why sages who have trod before have left clues, messages, and even codified the science, the practice, and even the outcomes of deliberate yogic practice. It all starts with one bite, one step, and a willingness to show up. Be easy friends; mindfully choose what you fill yourself with and by whom. It’s YOUR life.
On this day, I will be easy. I will become mindfully present while in the act of consuming. I will notice the changes that occur within me, feelings or otherwise, and take stock of whether I want more or less of this in my life. If I feel called, I will meditate, read the yoga sutras, and or listen to a talk by a positive person, whose attitude I would like to see more of in my life.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼