Yoga's Promise

Promises, the saying goes, are meant to be broken. But that is not always true. Doesn't a rainbow always hold promise in the viewing? And don't we make promises because we are full of meaning and knowing? We make promises to ourselves and the one's that matter truly we keep. We make promises to friends, family, loved one's.

Yoga's promise is that if done with integrity, you'll feel better. And we know the promises that are broken lack integrity.

What do I mean by integrity? I mean we do the poses, the asanas, according to what our body can do and with respect to sensitivies, weaknesses and injuries.

I am going to teach a workshop where the pinnacle pose is the splits, basically. Now I cannot do the splits. But I can get in the form of the pose and keeping the integrity of respect for my hamstrings, I can experience the splits to the best of my ability. If I try to force myself into it I will either hurt myself or lose the integrity of the pose.

I teach with alignment. I say: No  Pain No pain. Not No Pain No Gain. This is yoga. Yoga is a way to exercise that lengthens the muscles while strengthening them and, it gives the mind a  sense of peace. 

I do aerobics too and I love it. And I feel great when I am finished. It is different, not better, not worse, just different.