What is Yoga?
Yoga may be understood to be a set of behaviours that develop a holistic experience of the body, heart, mind and spirit. It is a process of fully inhabiting life and oneself in a radically engaging and inquisitive way. Through this wonderful ancient practice, we can develop a healthy capacity to literally take up residence in our bodies and minds, which can then lead us into simple presence.
Presence is a quality of being that is open and aware. This body minded presence serves as the ground for compassion and wisdom to emerge within us.
Although there are many branches of yoga, the philosophy can be defined as a joining or yoking of many seemingly opposing layers of our being. When you experience everything as a oneness in your consciousness, then you are in yoga. To attain the unity within, you work with the body then move to the breath, then to the mind and then to the inner self.
“Health is Wealth, Peace is Happiness, Yoga shows the Way”
~Swami Sivananda~
love in light
Ananda Yoga founder Barbara Bhagavati