The wisdom of the body is perhaps the most profound wisdom humans are familiar with. When the body first developed, it did so parallel to the human consciousness. Therefore, the wisdom of the body could very well be considered the most ancient wisdom in the history of woman and man. Even our western scientific and medical systems have comprehended many aspects of the human being and its condition. In the past few decades, thanks to some remarkable individuals and their influence in science and medicine, we have been reminded of our own wisdom and individual healing potential.
Our ancestors learned early in life how to prevent illness and injury and to heal themselves and one another with certain techniques. Healing wisdom developed and altered over time, yet some traditional practices, practically unaltered, are still applied today.
Yoga is the oldest science of life, often regarded as a divine science. Yoga is inferred to have originated about 5000 bc in the Indus Valley of India, from the insightful meditations of sages. This is perhaps the most profound fact about yoga: the divine wisdom of the science was given by the inspiration of listening to wisdom from within. The oldest of the yoga texts, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, is thought to have been written in 2300 bc. Being a living philosophy, yoga encompasses the wisdom of every aspect of life, and remains available to people of all spiritual and religious associations.
Yoga, meaning "union", intends to reunite the individual with the highest or purest consciousness, also thought of as self-realization. When one becomes self-realized, boundaries become possibilities, break-downs become break-throughs, intuition becomes clear, and clarity is at hand. With self-realization, a person becomes present to what is real, without illusion. A self-realized person takes life on as the miracle it truly is.
With mind-altering practices of meditation, pranayama (techniques in breathing) and asanas, practitioners often find themselves develop a greater sense of insight, serenity, equanimity and joy. Furthermore, yoga brings practitioners back to a loving awareness of themselves and their bodies. More and more, we are learning about the power of love and its wisdom. We understand the psychology of illness and how it can be directly related to the state of mind. It has been concurred that those who do not love are more likely to become ill than those who experience loving relationships. We might consider the choice to reclaim a balanced connection of mind and body our most useful ultimate wisdom
The philosophy of yoga is segmented into nine main paths: Hatha Yoga -- self-realization through health and strength; Kundalini Yoga -- self-realization by awakening the concentrated power of kundalini (latent energy at the base of the spine); Raja Yoga -- the royal way of self-realization by stilling the mind; Jnana Yoga -- self-realization by way of wisdom and reason; Karma Yoga -- with wisdom in action (yoga of selfless action); Mantra Yoga -- self-realization with mystical sounds and phrases; Bhakti Yoga -- self-realization through love and devotion; Kriya Yoga -- self-realization through pranayama and concentration; Yantra Yoga -- uses mystic diagrams and contemplation to influence self-realization.
Hatha Yoga is currently being recommended by holistic practitioners, some hospitals, chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists, acupuncture physicans, psychiatrists and others in the fields of healing.
As some of us are familiar with the benefits of these practices, either from what we have heard, read, and experienced, others still are just beginning the journey into the brilliance of yoga. Perhaps one of the most well-known results of a yoga practice is the quality of relaxation available. Yoga is also an ancient-turned-modern health insurance. By encouraging people to experience their bodies fully without judgment, and by realizing the nature of the body and mind, people can learn to self heal.
So, how can we integrate the wisdom of yoga in our daily lives? How can we access the accumulated knowledge and practice so its intelligence may come to be a living science in our own lives?
As we can see from the varied list of differing types of yogas, there are many areas of life to which yoga applies, from physical and mental disciplines, to love in action. Therefore, let us consider yoga as something we are already doing by being authentic with ourselves and others. The key is learning to hold these precious moments of union with an open heart, hand and mind. When we become attached to anything we risk causing upset and becoming stuck. The wisdom of yoga comes and goes, bringing us present to the now. In order to access it more frequently, we may consider taking more time for our own practice. To take time for ourselves can sometimes be a difficult personal obstacle. We all love the ideal of relaxation and peacefulness but in the real world, we are lucky if we have time to drop off the recycling and make a bank deposit! This is why having a set time each day, or two to three days a week, to practice is important for the discipline. I would like to suggest a daily routine of twenty minutes to one hour, being an adequate amount of time to reconnect with inner harmony, centering breath, and enhancing our own effectiveness.
Our lifestyle is greatly influenced by the social environment we choose. Sometimes we find ourselves repeating patterns of unhealthy lifestyles, because of social influence. Part of learning to self heal is learning to surround ourselves with an intentional support system. Most people find that practicing with a class is the best way to create self-discipline, perhaps because the momentum becomes greater as we practice together and share feedback with one another.
By opening the mind, body, and breath with yoga, we find ourselves becoming more steady, focused, intuitive, and accomplished in our lives, Though it may seem there is no time for yoga, I suggest there is no time not to practice yoga, for it is through yoga that one may more easily access a space of timelessness.
Heather Camp has practiced yoga all her life and began instructing four years ago. Most of her training is Kirpalu based, greatly influenced by the Omega Institute for Holistic Learning. For information call The Center for Healing in St. Petersburg, Florida. (813) 895-4625