"When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge." —Tuli Kupferberg from success.com(1)
One of the most impressive aspects of a vital Yoga and meditation practice is realizing its ability to evolve to serve our needs and goals throughout our lifespan. As our needs change with age or other circumstances, so may what we do to meet them. Building persistence and consistency in your work on can build a foundation of resilience as challenges arise and we change over time. When life throws its curves and obstacles we have inner resources of awareness, calm, physical health, and more to draw upon to deal with them.
Over the last few years, the discipline of Yoga itself has changed beyond imagination as present-day methods have refined and deepened the work we can do to remain happy, vital, and active throughout our lives.
The Evolution of Yoga
Classic Yoga practice has evolved in the 21st century by integrating modern techniques. These include neuro-muscular movement re-patterning and other Somatic movement education work. This integration has allowed Yoga and holistic healing arts to flourish.
Modern technology and new understandings of how we grow throughout our lives have validated and refined traditional practices.
The idea of neuroplasticity - that the brain changes in response to new learning is just one principle that informs these modern approaches. This concept supports the yogic belief that regular practice can lead to lasting positive changes in both mind and body. These influences have helped deepen the beneficial effects of Yoga immensely to serve individuals of all ages, needs, and abilities.
Balancing Tradition and Innovation
Modernizing Yoga is tricky, and there is always the chance that something essential and true will be lost. Focusing on breath and mindful awareness, no matter the practice or techniques, is one crucial way to help ensure that this evolution retains and sustains its power to transform on every level of self.
The Key to Lasting Change
Whether practicing classic Hatha Yoga, modern Vinyasa, or other contemporary schools of Yoga or using Yoga or movement-based therapy, the key to success lies in being fully present in the process with compassion and non-judgmental awareness.
This approach allows us to learn and integrate the work on ourselves and enjoy the lasting changes these practices are helping to bring to our lives.
Ancient yoga wisdom suggests that "Consciousness is the inner doctor, through which we can gain lasting control of our own health and well-being. Whatever therapy we offer, whether diet, herbs, or massage, must be imparted with conscious awareness to be truly effective."(2)
"Everything is Aware Process" (3)
Over the years, we have worked under the belief that, according to Yoga, stress can be defined as "the resistance to what is." Our struggle with the present situation creates disruptions and blockages within ourselves and our bodies, which we know as that feeling of stress. This internal conflict can lead to a more profound sense of disconnection, which Yoga identifies as the main cause of our suffering.
In most, if not all, genuine wellness practices, remarkable transformations can take place because these practices ultimately involve initiating the process of the three "A"s of conscious change:
- Awareness
- Acknowledgment
- Action (or adjustment)(4)
Healing and other positive changes unfold as our work on ourselves helps us respond to, rather than react from, insights gained through self-work.
The Power of Awareness(Mindfulness) in Yoga Practice
Joseph Lepage, in his self-published Yoga Therapy Manual, recounts some of the mechanisms by which an awareness-driven Yoga practice (and allied disciplines) can inform our self-care and stimulate healing.
These include:
1. Relieving stress-created muscular tension by awareness and acknowledgment of the role of stress in creating discomfort and pain within. This is accentuated in Yoga posture and aware somatic movement as deeper stress patterns and buried physically stored tensions and emotions are brought to the light of awareness and to help move toward releasing their hold on the body/mind.
2. By including the full range of pleasure and pain in our awareness, we skillfully acknowledge and resolve the patterns of resistance and fears that magnify pain and transform it into suffering.
3. By allowing the release of the patterns of muscular or other types of pain that has remained in neuro-muscular memory after the original cause has gone
4. Bringing an understanding of the physical, energetic, and emotional patterns at the root of energetic blocks in the body/mind that can often be the precursors of physical and mental disease.
5. Open an array of resources that weren't available before. Awareness can open us to and allow us to skillfully utilize the ultimate innate healing energy, Prana. According to Eastern thought, working with energy is as important as working with its physical counterpart in the body to resolve disease, create and sustain true wellness
6. According to Yoga, awareness is intelligence and, therefore, infinite and not subject to the physical laws of entropy and aging. Therefore, healing and transformation that may seem miraculous are possible and attainable through applying the principles and practices that connect us to higher Consciousness.
7. Restore the peace that comes from living simply in the "now" as the fantasies, ruminations, and memories of past and future events take a back seat to the direct experience of the moment. (5)
More About Awareness in Self-Care and Growth
Skillful self-care and growth practices are awareness-focused for all the reasons listed above. At their most effective, they help us access our own inner intelligence and wisdom. Accessing this inner intelligence, in turn, fosters life-supporting, awareness-based insights and actions that support relief at the moment and ongoing wholeness (healing).
Embrace the journey of awareness. It's a path to unlocking the door to our infinite potential. As we dive deeper into our practice, we unearth the incredible power within us to heal, grow, and thrive. This newfound awareness becomes our guiding light, illuminating a path to a more vibrant and fulfilling life. It's not just about surviving anymore - it's about genuinely flourishing.
This way of awareness may lead us to heal, the sense of wholeness (healing) that arises from a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe. Through awareness, we unravel the mysteries of our existence and open ourselves up to a more profound experience of life.
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***The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this article. Please note that the results of any Yoga, meditation, or other therapeutic or exercise work may vary. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
References
- Quote #13, Tuli Kupferberg from success.com
- Consciousness, The Ultimate Power of Knowing and Healing, Vedanet.com
- Perls, Frederick S. "Everything Is Aware Process," Aquarian Productions.
- 3 A's for Change, Joshua Hook.com
- Adapted from Integrative Yoga Therapy Manual by Joseph Lepage, self-published, 1994.