In the US, yoga has been given to people by way of asana, the poses. There are other parts to yoga that a lot of people don't know about. Some people learn about it, and find it too close to a religion they already have, and fear that they will lose what they have. That's ok because even if asana is the only thing we practice, it gives us so much.
For me, I learned about asana first. During class, for one hour, it quiets the monkey chatter. I am so busy trying to keep my balance, remembering to breathe, making sure my alignment is at least not going to destroy me, pushing my body the tiny bit further than the last time. I don't have time to think about the fight I had with my husband, the bill that I have to pay when I get home, the groceries I need to buy right after class, the lunch I need to make for tomorrow. It's essentially a moving meditation for me, which I am completely grateful for.
We are all human, we all have our times of doubt, fear, frustration. Asana allows us to forget about that, bringing out the confidence, strength, flexibility, and compassion. Again, if that is all we do, it's still far better than doing nothing.
The next step and hope is to try to bring that off the mat.
Namaste my friends,
Chess
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