The Path to Yoga
Your life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path… exactly where you are meant to be right now… And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love. --Caroline Adams
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Yoga is my passion, a life-long practice. Once an individual is guided towards this path that person’s life will never be the same. I have practiced yoga since my mid 20’s, but it was not until recently that I felt the inner transformation take place. Yoga, for centuries, has been seen as a spiritual exercise of the mind, body and soul. In the spring of 2013, I uncovered my devotion to this form of spiritual ecstasy. In my own form of practicing yoga, I used to watch videos, read books and magazines. After going through major life transitions, I finally decided to take classes at a local gym, GoodLife Fitness. It is at that point my soul awakened infinitely.
Yoga is known to assist people with finding inner peace, clarity and a sense of overall well-being. There are numerous health benefits as it assists with the functioning of the nervous, circulatory and digestive systems. It balances energy within our bodies and is known to alleviate stress. The beauty of this practice is that it’s an individual practice, which brings self-awareness and peace and restores balance to the soul. Whenever I feel any type of stress or emotional discomfort, I go straight to my yoga mat and, instantaneously, peace resurfaces. This ancient practice has made such an impact on my life and I wish to share it with others.
In my own experience, I associate yoga with personal freedom. As I move through each pose while breathing, I feel my heart expanding and life shifting. While in yoga classes, there is no competition, as in who can hold a pose the longest or breathe the loudest. Everyone is equal and we partake in yoga for its simplicity, in search for serenity. We are all students yearning to find solitude. It is an individual journey within to connect to our divine being, a quest to align ourselves with the infinite spirit inside. Yoga offers a place of calmness. Ego vanishes and we become still with life, in the moment. On one specific occasion, I was holding the “tree pose” (Vrksasana) and felt so connected to the universe that I could feel the presence of something higher inside. This was truly a turning point in my yoga practice. It was sheer ecstasy and bliss.
I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching of my Soul.—Rumi
I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching of my Soul.—Rumi
I equate the lotus flower to my inner yoga transformation. The lotus is grown in water full of debris and murky substances. It stands alone, in deep water, nurturing its own entity and soul. In time, however, each petal unfolds on its own, untouched by the mud that it has grown in. In the end, the lotus stands alone and comes out pure and resilient. I often think about this saying, ”through the darkness emerges light”. I have faced darkness at various points in my life. However, yoga has shown me the light. In the core of my being, I feel that yoga is a soul calling, one that I must learn and share with others. My hope is that every individual can find a passion and share it with humanity. What is your soul’s desire? When you realize what it is, pursue that dream. Your life will change remarkably! In October 2014, I fulfilled my dream by completing yoga teacher training, at White Lotus Yoga, in California. It was a beautiful experience to be instructed by Ganga White and Tracey Rich. They were extraordinary souls who I will always be indebted to. My life will forever be changed by walking the path towards yoga.
The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can't be organized or regulated. It isn't true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth. —Ram Dass
Nicky Sehra