| Yoga is often translated as "union" or "connection". As | | | | When you take time to take care of yourself enough |
| we practice postures to balance our body-mind-spirit | | | | to recharge then you have more energy to recycle, |
| we cannot help but be concerned with the planet our | | | | research better products to purchase and enjoy your |
| feet (or hands) are on when we are in those poses | | | | awareness instead of being stressed about the |
| asanas. When we nurture the soil of our planet we | | | | responsibility you feel a certain lack of control of. |
| are also nurturing the soil of our soul (some people | | | | The great Mother Theresa was known for her |
| even believe that the Earth has or is a spirit itself). Also, | | | | service to the poor. The only way she had the energy |
| by having a connection with the Earth you are in fact | | | | to carry out that service was by making sure she took |
| practicing parts of Yoga lifestyle. There are many | | | | care of herself enough to be as worthy as she was |
| ways in which you giving and or receiving yoga | | | | willing to take action. She had to battle the delicate |
| therapy contributes to Earth sustainability but here is | | | | balance of healing time and energy for herself and |
| just a brief overview of the concept with practical | | | | others. Mother Theresa like any mother (including the |
| examples of yoga therapy : | | | | Earth)gives and nurtures so much but also needs |
| The Concept (the need): | | | | sustaining. |
| Real Peace is healing and connection first for yourself | | | | During airplane flights parents are instructed that in the |
| and from your heart;then by taking care of yourself | | | | event of an accident they need to use the oxygen |
| and being a part of your community you realize how | | | | mask first and then apply attend to their children. It is |
| far and connected you are to not only a global | | | | ideal that we take care of ourselves so we think |
| community but a timeless one. | | | | clearly as possible and can then have better and more |
| We all have ancestors rooted in our family tree and | | | | resources to carry out our actions, our connections. |
| during time immortal there were teachers along the | | | | The first of Yoga's aphorisms (the first of the Yamas |
| way that contributed to a lineage of beliefs, behaviors | | | | in Patangali's Sutras); "do no harm applies to oneself as |
| and experiences towards our environment. Some of | | | | well as the Earth and other people. To have and |
| us have had great examples to follow while others of | | | | sustain peace on Earth we start practicing peace in |
| us have had more "grist for the mill". | | | | our mind and body and then that expands and |
| We, who practice Yoga may feel odd or maybe even | | | | connects to a world mind and body but if we don't |
| righteous at times when we look around and see so | | | | take the time to sustain our own emotional and |
| many others of the mainstream (and of our own blood | | | | physical health what do we have to contribute ? |
| relations, maybe even our spouses) not partaking in | | | | If there was a blazing fire in front of you and you have |
| what we feel vital to survival. Yet, regardless of who | | | | a bucket in your hand, would you throw the contents |
| these "other people" are we do have common ground | | | | of that bucket on the fire if you wanted to help ? |
| literally as the same speck of dust and the same | | | | What if you really wanted to help but were too busy |
| molecule of air we will touch then goes on to touch our | | | | to be aware that the bucket was full of gasoline ? |
| offspring/future generations. In Yoga the infamous | | | | You would be giving what you had but because you |
| greeting "namaste" is really an affirmation of | | | | didn't take the time to get a bucket of water then your |
| connecting to another person beyond that person's | | | | contribution would do more harm then good despite |
| intention and to the deeper existence and oneness of | | | | your good intentions. This sounds silly of course, who |
| our spirits. | | | | would throw fuel to a fire but many of us are so busy |
| I have a good friend who's salutation is oftentimes | | | | and or stressed that we are so concerned about |
| "how goes the battle". This has been his "hello, how | | | | "doing something" we neglect being "actively calm |
| are you" so to speak for years, decades. It has nothing | | | | calmly active". |
| to do with any war of nations but rather it is an inquiry | | | | When you don't make the time to cultivate your |
| to how the internal battle inside of you is going at the | | | | thoughts into calm waters but instead have your mind |
| moment. | | | | filled with unchecked emotions of volatile fuel then your |
| Remember that classic book Way of the Peaceful | | | | personal health as well as planetary health are at |
| Warrior ? It was Dan Millman's story of how | | | | jeopardy. |
| gymnastics was his mystic art form and healing | | | | Yoga Therapy in general is a process that can |
| journey as he gave a refreshing insight into what they | | | | facilitate someone uniting the integrity of inner and |
| call in Yoga; being "actively calm & calmly active". | | | | outer worlds in a healthy way. No wonder many |
| Weather you're meditating or competing in an athletic | | | | Native American healing or Shamanic practices |
| event (or even going to the grocery store, eating, etc.) | | | | included what they call "soul retrieval". If and when |
| you can integrate the warrior archetype in a peacefully | | | | peoples psyches are fragmented by stepping off the |
| connected way that Tibetan Buddhist's refer to as | | | | path of their heart, then how can we not have a |
| "ferocious compassion". Having a deep cultivated | | | | fragmented unity of the planet ? As Carolyn Myss |
| peace from within is to align your action with a higher | | | | would say "your energy is where your heart is". |
| cause instead of achieving your daily grind to get | | | | The human form and psyche is a microcosm of the |
| through the day without hassle or incident. It is a way | | | | larger macrocosms (the planet, the universe). We all |
| of transforming stress into sustainability. | | | | may be a connected and united yet since we are all |
| A major obstacle we face is the conflict and therefore | | | | individuals like the cells in our body--we are separate |
| tremendous stress over how we want to live and | | | | and diverse yet of the same body in that same host |
| how we are currently living. Some of us have spiraling | | | | body. We can all use yoga therapy but it might well be |
| layers of this going on; we are stressed because we | | | | in a variety of forms. |
| want to eat/exercise better but we find it channeling | | | | Examples of Yoga Therapy: |
| to change so in the meantime we get stressed that | | | | A regular practice of Hatha Yoga (asana + |
| we are getting stressed (start worrying we might | | | | pranayama) in order to maintain holistic health. |
| have a cancerous tumor perhaps and we can't decide | | | | Engaging in a prescribed yogic postures that are |
| it it's from the lack of perfect diet/exercise or the | | | | restoring a health imbalance (physical or mental). |
| stress of our imperfect diet/exercise, and it can just | | | | Adhering to an Ayurvedic diet and or taking herbs for |
| escalate, etc.) The list of examples are endless; we all | | | | above reasons. |
| have our demons. Suffice to say Yoga Therapy is | | | | Practicing mantras, chanting, meditations. |
| one wondrous way to express a healing of conflicts | | | | Inspirational reading. |
| and become a peaceful warrior. | | | | Massage, assisted postures (Thai Yoga Massage or |
| I have heard way too often from my students/clients, | | | | other methods in this realm). |
| family, friends and I admit from my own lips and | | | | Yoga retreats (especially an "Eco-tour") |
| certainly inside my head more then I care tines I can | | | | Variations and or combinations of all the above. |
| count-- "I'm too busy to do more for the environment | | | | In Conclusion: |
| as I'm too busy to take better care of myself ". I say | | | | Please take care of yourself with yoga therapy in |
| now that the "more better" way is to do more for the | | | | order to take care of our planet better by making a |
| environment by first taking better care of yourself. | | | | sustainable versus a stressful contribution. |