The Practice of Yoga Is Simple

To me Yoga is beautiful because it is simple. This does not mean that it is easy, but the practice in and of itself is simple. The doing of, or getting of oneself to do, the practice is the hardest part, but once done the practice itself compels us to do more practice. Or at least…this is my experience.

You don’t have to be a genius to work out how to practice Yoga. You don’t have to be a genius to experience its benefits…you just have to start with some very simple practices. And then…keep practicing!

The perpetuation of the myth that Yoga requires a Guru to teach you, years of study and practice to master, or that there are secrets to Yoga success…are just that, in my opinion, myths.

Yoga is ancient. Thousands of years old and, from my research, I believe its roots to predate the written word. In its essence I believe it to be of Tantric origin, that being said, my studies continue and will always continue into the history of and philosophy of Yoga. As my study evolves so does my practice, and as my practice evolves so does my study. I am a perennial student.

As much as I continue to study and learn, practice and experience, the complexities of the philosophy of Yoga are there only to pander to the mind, while in actuality, I believe the practice to be one of simplicity.

The Yoga Sutras compiled by Patanjali in about 150BCE (~300BCE -300CE) state in Sutra 1.2 yoga?-citta-v?tti-nirodha?. A translation of this that resonates with me is ‘Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.’

The experience of this is Yoga and the getting there, the practice, is Yoga.

Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, lays out an Eight Limb Path, Ashtanga Yoga. These Limbs are simple. I am not going to go into their detail here, as there are plenty of sources to cover these Limbs, my aim now is to open the readers to the idea that we have everything within us now to begin and experience Yoga. You do not need a Guru, you do not need to discover secrets, you do not need anything other than the enquiring mind that you already have…and a desire…to practice.

Connecting the breath with the body, for me, is where we start. Simply taking the time to notice your breath and to allow the chitter chatter of the mind to fade away.

The question behind why we may wish to practice Yoga…in my experience, comes down to one thing…in order to experience greater peace. This peace has been said to be our true nature. The quietening of the lower mind allows us to be present – free from the attachments of the past and the cravings of the future. Being present allows us to experience now, more clearly, as it is…eventually, with practice.

This beautiful Mantra, from the ancient Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (I.iii.28) sums up the purpose of the practice of Yoga for me:

Om asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrtyorma amrtam gamaya

Lead me from the ignorance to the Truth.
Lead me from darkness to light.
Lead me from death to immortality.

When we see things as they are, without the addition of our dramatization or downplay, I believe we are closer to the Truth. When we shine light into the dark we are bringing awareness to ignorance. The practice of such, allows clarity – less discord, disharmony – and therefore generates less attachments and cravings, and leaves us with an easier job of being present. And so it goes.

Bring your attention to your body (Annamaya kosha) and focus on your breath, allow the mind (Manas) to quiet down and transition through (the Bindu) to the wisdom of the higher mind (Buddhi) and to bliss (Anandamaya kosha) to the True Self (Atman).

The practices of Yoga move us through these layers towards the Self. Yoga postures (Asanas) assist us in experiencing our body and breath, when we focus on body and breath…the mind tends to rest…and we experience mindlessness…in the nicest possible way. Meditation (Dhyana), another Yoga practice, likewise, is to the same aim.

For me…my practice allows me to experience this peace…from the turbulence of my mind. It is simple…and getting started…finding the motivation (Tapas) is for many of us the hardest part. Once experienced, though, it is impetus to keep us going.

Teachers, guides and the like can be useful aides in this process. Finding someone to practice with and to learn from can be helpful, however, my feeling is that relying on teachers as geniuses or superior to us, in a way that we separate ourselves as being incapable of Yoga without them, is flawed. We are all the same, and teachers have just studied and practiced more than us, perhaps. Teachers are human too. Teachers are students and students…practice.

So…off to practice we go.