International Lifestyle Magazine Issue 49 | Page 51
As word got out its popularity exponentially spread, but ironically, the mainstream, glossy mag influence encouraged a superficiality of practice and focus which denuded it of this, its most important benefit. These days the culture and practice of yoga has been watered down somewhat in tone and it’s all but impossible to distinguish it from basic stretching, posturing or floppingabout-on-the-floor practice, a lifestyle accessory, something useful to do with the rolled up yoga mat under your arm, an alternative to Pilates, something to tone you up and make you feel relaxed. Not that there’s anything to be sniffed at about relaxation, or toning, but as with the blandishing of culture in general, there’s a danger of losing the actual sublime magic of being yoga in the surface show of doing yoga. Yoga is the Sanskrit word whence derives our word, yoke. This refers to the power of daily practice to yoke you to your divine, sublime self and this deeper aspect of you to the realm of the gods, that you may be with your head above the clouds yet with your feet firmly on the ground, granting you both panoramic perspective and practical wisdom as you go about your daily rounds of work, rest and play. The postures and stretching a ?H???\??H ??\??[?? ?[X\?[?? [??[?Y [??[? ?X[Y?[?? H??\?[???[? ?[? X?[?? ?[^][?[???\?Y?[?? ?\ [?\??[??^X?[] H???\??K?] Z\?Y\\? ?[ YKY? H ? ?]?Y??[ H ?\??[?\?Y ?\? ?XY?X?[ K[?[ZX?[ K ?\??][? [?H[?\??[ H ?? ???[? H\? ??H ?X?Y[X?[??H ? H[ H\ Y\?[????? ?\?H ?? ?]? ?][? H?\?? X?K??] ? H ??[ [?H?YY \?\?[? ?]8?&\? H?Y?X[X??] ?[???[?[??O??X?]\?H [?x?&\?H?? ?? [?H [?? [?H\?K ??X? H]?[??&]?Y[?[??? [?\?Y?K[? \?Z\?Z?[?Y[?] H ?[? ??YH\? H?[?[Y[?[?]\?H?[ [?\? ?Y??\?[???X\? ?]YH?\ [???[ \?\??][???]YX[? \?\? H ?[? [?H [?? [?H\?H\?[??X?H?????Y?[?\?H?[YY?? H \???[] KX\??? ?[X] \??X?]?X?H [?H\?H ? ?[??X? ?X??\??[ H ?] H ?? ??[?X] HY??\? HY H ?[[?X[ ??\??[??[?? X[ ?]?\?[X[?[??^ ?\??[??X??H?? ?? ? ?XZ?\? H ?\\?Y?? H?Y?H[??\?K?]X?[? ?]?Y ?]?\? ?Y?[][?? H]?[???YH^ ?\??[?]?Z[X?H ? HY ?XH HY??[? ?\???[?[??[???\??][??[? \?H ?X??Y\????Z] ?[?X?Z] ??H ?X? [?H?\?Y?H [?\? ?\? ? \???\??[??[?[ \?[?? [?\?Y??YY?[??\??]?Z[? [?[???Z[??[? \? ?X??] H ? ?X? \?K] H ?\?H ]ZX??? [?\??Z[????\\??[?][ H Y][\\?X[ H?X\?[?? ?]?\?? ? [?\?Y?H [???[?? YX\?Y?\? YX\? \?HY?\? \?KY?][YHY?\?Y?][YK\? [?\? ??[?]X[??H ?X? [?x?&\?H???X?Y ? H ?[[?X[[?[Y?[??H? H???[?? H ?\ ?[YH?Z[??
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