Preface
My father introduced me to yoga when I was about 15 years old.
I knew the exercises were beneficial, but my knowledgeable father and good teacher made me realize there is so much more to yoga than physical exercises.
Being the curious guy that I am, I learned many interesting things about yoga from my father, but I wanted to learn more.
It pains me to see so many people today saying things like “I do yoga” without understanding what that means.
Those famous exercises are the beginning of a fascinating knowledge journey that too many people will never experience, which I believe is a real shame.
The basis – a fascinating philosophy
If you look up the word yoga right now, you will find that it is an ancient, living philosophy from India, which most people know.
It is one of the world’s oldest surviving philosophies, with the concept of the mind-body-spirit complex at its core.
Yoga is a method of everlasting improvement for human beings, encouraging them to explore the mind-body-spirit complex with all their being.
Yoga teaches us important life lessons, such as breathing techniques, interaction with the elements, meditation, and many other concepts that I often discuss on this blog.
It’s a shame how people use the empty phrase “I do yoga” to indicate that they engage in some form of physical activity, which may or may not be derived from this ancient and beautiful life philosophy.
Yoga has levels because it acknowledges the limitations of human understanding and encourages growth within those limitations. It is a journey of self-discovery.
Physical exercises are the lowest level of yoga practice, which means most practitioners don’t progress beyond this basic level.
Meditation – a tool in a belt
Yoga was the first Eastern philosophy to introduce meditation to the West.
However, the concept of meditation was distorted in the Western world as a means of achieving physical goals, whereas the original concept was self-exploration.
Meditation is one of yoga’s most well-known tools for helping people transcend physical existence.
Yoga and me
Throughout my life, I have often come across interesting concepts and realizations that are similar to what yoga has been teaching for thousands of years.
For example, the idea that everything in life flows from within us to the outside, rather than the other way around.
It seems to me that, with each new generation, these ancient ideas are either lost or widely ridiculed, which I find sad because, in my view, yoga is one of the oldest human philosophies that understands human progress.
Your journey
If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating philosophy beyond physical exercises, I invite you to pick up one of the older yoga books mentioned on this list: https://www.path2yoga.net/2016/06/yoga-books-that-can-change-your-life.html.
Stay educated,
Aviram