The Yoga of Being
To connect with spirit is to unite with our inner core of being. Yoga—with its emphasis on the breath and meditation—unites body, mind, and spirit. The mat becomes the focal point of oneness.
“Yoga is spiritual because it’s personal,” said Anita Bailey. “In its quiet moments there is a connection to something greater—whether it’s called grace, Spirit, God, or the Divine.
It is up to each individual as to how deeply she or he is willing to connect to that presence.”
Yoga literally means “union.”
The spiritual background of yoga originated in India and dates back more than 5,000 years. Many Eastern religions adapted yoga early on, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Hare Krishna. By most accounts, it came to the Western world in the 1890s, gaining notoriety in the 1960s.
“The whole purpose of yoga is to become aware of our own divinity,” said Airam Mason, a yoga instructor. “We come to the mat to explore and practice accepting our individual and unique expression of the Divine, no matter how it’s manifesting in any one moment: raw, messy, uncomfortable, beautiful, miraculous, and exquisite energy of our human ‘being-ness’.”
Bailey agrees. “Yoga is a mindful practice. You are narrowing your focus, connecting with a deeper flow of breath, moving away from the distractions of the mind and body, which cultivates self-awareness,” she said. “It enhances your well-being because you connect more with the spiritual essence of who you are.”
Mason and Bailey have more than 25 years of combined teaching experience. While yoga is a centuries-old feel-good formula for the body, both instructors stress that it can be challenging for beginners.
Thoughts give way to the energy flowing from within
Often touted as a powerful form of stress relief, yoga explores and expands people’s comfort zones—each stretch consciously slows the mind while drawing the attention toward the breath. While the body stretches, tightens and releases during the poses, thoughts give way to the energy flowing from within, or spirit.
“Yoga should be approached as a true act of self-love.
You do it because it’s a loving thing to do,” said Mason. “You should look at yoga as if you are feeding your body whole food. When you’re on the mat, you are working with your mind at the highest vibration that is you. You practice enlightenment by developing the courage to feel the energy, let it exist, have its life span, and resolve.”
According to Bailey, yoga consists of major branches that share a commonality of meditation with a focus on inner peace and spiritual wellness:
- Bhakti Yoga—Bhakti stresses the importance of faith and belief in a higher power.
- Hatha Yoga—The branch taught mainly in the United States, and at Awaken Whole Life Center. This practice contains several popular styles that include Ashtanga, Bikram (hot yoga), and Kundalini.
- Jnana Yoga—A traditional practice that focuses almost entirely on the mind and the soul.
- Karma Yoga—This is the practice of action and service. The belief is that your present situation is based on your past actions.
- Mantra Yoga—As its name suggests, this type focuses on the chanting of mantras that are believed to possess great power.
- Raja Yoga—Raja deals with the personality and the body. Its premise is that people are able to achieve spiritual or emotional fitness only after their body is devoid of diseases and is fit.
- Tantra Yoga—A type of yoga designed to awaken the energy in the body and address physical intimacy.
“Regardless of the branch, all yoga is a yoking of body, mind, and spirit. The definition remains the same,” Bailey said. “One must embrace it with an open mind and heart; that makes it a spiritual discipline.”
Mason concurs. “If you come to the mat and all you do is follow your breath, you’ve done enough by quieting the mind and experiencing a deeper connection and awareness of your divine nature.”