Skip to main content

You Don't Have A Soul-You Are A Soul; You Have A Body

Friday, November 6, 2020 (Part I), 

"Luminous beings are we; not this crude matter"- Yoda #starwars4lyfe

A yoga practice can bring the focus, and understanding, that your body, your mind, and your soul are all connected and all influence each other. 

However, which one these is the leader?.....which is the "senior"?.....which one is most important?

My opinion (that no one asked for), is that the only part of you that will continue on, is your soul.  Your body, and the Earth itself, will all be destroyed (the Sun will eventually expand into a Red Giant and engulf the Earth....think about that next time you're worried about your 401k).

Since your body can, and will, be destroyed, it is inferior and subordinate to its counterparts.  It, therefore, needs to be tended to very frequently as your physical body can still influence your heart, mind, and soul.  Eat too much, and you become docile and listless....eat too little and you become edgy and hangry....breath too fast, and your brain will start to skip and lose its ability to focus; physical changes effect your non-physical parts.       

It's impractical to sail through life saying, "I don't need to plan ahead,.....the world will all end one day, and what does it matter?", so that's an extreme that I don't identify with.  However, it's equally impractical to become wound up, anxious, 

While on this Earth, you're encased in your body.  As Yoda said to Luke in Empire Strikes Back, luminous beings are we; not this crude matter (as he gestured towards Luke's body).  

Time to begin...

Friday, November 6, 2020 (Part II), 

Today's practice, like yesterday's and every morning's, begins with addressing and connecting with the non-physical aspects of being.  This includes breathing exercises, prayers, and meditation.  Only after I've connected with that "luminous" side, do I feel fit to begin moving the "crude matter" (as Master Yoda put it). 

While I move the "crude matter" of my body, I try to make my Asanas/physical poses a moving meditation by holding an image (something meaningful, beautiful, etc.) in my head, and maintaining mental focus on that image alone while I move my physical body through the strain of certain poses, and sequences.  This focus helps make a yoga practice more than "exercise", and elevates a practice into something far more holistic and nurturing. 

Namaste

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good Enough

Thursday, December 19, 2024 Feelings and emotions (in general) are things that I advise anyone to be aware of, but to never let them control you (a feeling isn't real and an emotion isn't real either, despite what Pixar and Inside Out, etc. all have to say to us about emotions).   The emotion/feeling of being "good enough" can work for us and against us (some days we feel more than good enough and some days we don't); whether "good enough" is working for us or against us, it should still be observed, but never focused on much.  I woke up not feeling "very good" and or "good enough" and or blah blah blah...... I am happy that I'm on my mat, and beginning my practice as I know I will feel better afterwards.  Time to begin... Part II: As always, I write the initial post before my practice, and I write the Part II immediately after I've concluded my practice.   My perspective and outlook has changed so much from a few hours ago.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Monday Yoga

Monday, July 24, 2023, After an enjoyable and yoga-less week and weekend, I'm back on my mat. We'll see what today's practice brings.  It's 5:20am, and it's time to begin... Part II: As always, the first update is before I practice, and Part II is written immediately after my practice is complete; usually about ~2 hours later.  I was stiff.  I was sore.  I was unfocused.  I was bloated. No matter how "uninspired" a practice can be, it always refines you into a better version of yourself.  For that, I'm grateful.  Time to enter the world.  Namaste
Post a Comment
Read more

Tuesday Yoga

Tuesday, April 30, 2019 Last day of April 2019. I woke at my usual 4:30AM this morning and had my hour of coffee and contemplation. Physically, I'm feeling good.  Slightly sore and stiff, but feeling overall well. Mentally, I'm feeling fairly well controlled, but I can sense my brain flitting from one thought to the next.  I'm going to focus on controlling my thoughts this morning, and add an extra "omph" to my physical practice to help sweat out any over-active tendencies. Spiritually, I'm feeling well.  I'm secure, solid, and whole.  Time to sweat it out. 
Post a Comment
Read more