The Universality of the Eight Limbs of Yoga

I always try to approach the Sutras with a clear, open mind – but by the end of my readings I have so many thoughts and reflections going through my head that it is so hard to organize my thoughts. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it makes it difficult for me to narrow my thoughts for assigned reflection prompts. One observation that I have consistently returned to while reading and considering the Sutras is their universal nature – they are applicable across cultures and throughout time. No matter who you are or where you are in this world, the Sutras communicate some of the most general and clear-cut principles, and in my opinion, principles that the rest of our world could really benefit from pursuing. Taking them together, I really appreciate the eight limbs of yoga for the simple fact that they are easily summarized and brought together, leaving every individual up to his/her own to consider them for themselves.

I am particularly intrigued by the concept and practice of pranayama (breath control). Paying attention to one’s breath is not easily done constantly, but when we take the time to pay attention to how we are breathing, especially during different situations, it opens the mind to questions about more of our behaviors and abilities. Furthermore, I think learning to control something as natural and constant as breathing would reveal an ability to control other behaviors, especially those that may be more impulsive. Self-control and self-evaluation are strengths that we could all use, and I think perfecting the ability to observe and control one’s breath is one way of gaining such strengths.

Sick Week

I know I have been "MIA" lately, so I apologize for my absence (from the blog world as well as class). For the past week I have been confined to my bed with a terrible sinus/respiratory infection. However, I have not forgotten about my yoga practices. In fact, I found yoga to be quite helpful while I was sick in bed. although it was terribly difficult to breath out of my nose, I found that paying attention to my breathing as I inhaled and exhaled really helped me relax and take my mind off of how horrible I felt - I also used some modified poses (I say modified because I adjusted them to work as I was laying in bed) to help relax and meditate while trying to fall asleep.

Although I did not necessarily feel well enough to practice backward bends, I did catch up on some reading, and I began Yoga from the Inside Out. I'm really enjoying hearing another student's point of view from the very first class - I also think it has been very interesting to hear about some body image struggles that every young person goes through and how easily I related to them. I'm really looking forward to hearing more about how yoga helped someone else physically as well as spiritually.

Benefits of the Philosophy Behind Yoga

Before taking this course, I have always considered yoga in terms of exercise and physical fitness rather than as a philosophy - so when I considered yoga's relation to Christianity and other religions, I was sort of shocked to hear that yoga is actually a questionable topic with regards to religion, particularly Christianity. I consider myself to be rather objective and open-minded in general, especially when it comes to my religious beliefs - so I wouldn't immediately consider religion and yoga as challengers. Personally, I think that the philosophy of yoga could really benefit our society as a whole, and reading and considering the sutras from multiple perspectives has helped me come to this conclusion. When I say "multiple perspectives," I am referring to reading the sutras from a literal perspective and then deeply reflecting on their meanings as they apply to different situations. I think that the messages in all of them are not only useful while practicing yoga - they are a useful tool for reflecting on one's own habits, behaviors, attitudes, and abilities.

Stress Management

The last week has definitely been the most enjoyable for me in terms of my experiences in the practice of yoga. I have noticed that I am much more relaxed and refreshed after class, which makes it a lot easier to find the energy to study. Also, last week I was assigned a "Behavior Enhancement Project" for my Health Education class - the purpose is to identify an aspect of my lifestyle that needs improvement and to work toward developing long-term behaviors in order to accomplish certain goals. Despite my initial insecurities about yoga, I am surprised at how many times during the week I turn to yoga practice and/or philosophy in situations that may not immediately involve either. The behavior that I have chosen to focus on is stress management, which of course precipitates from many different areas of life, in my case particularly the ability to relax and get a good night's rest. The first method that came to mind for helping me with the project was... yoga! I have already seen a great improvement in my ability to re-energize after class, so I hope that using yoga as a relaxing and energizing technique will not only aid in successfully completing my project, but also in developing lasting habits.

Introduction

I have very little experience with yoga in general, although I do have a very basic understanding of what yoga is as a philosophy. I attended one yoga class in high school and to be completely honest, I did not find it to be a preferable way of exercising. Personally, I feel most comfortable and work most efficiently under intense pressure and at a fast pace. To relax my body and my mind completely is a skill I have yet to learn.

I decided to take this course because it worked into my schedule well and the other course offered sounded less interesting - but after the first day of class, I truly am excited for what I will gain from the topics and exercises covered in class. While I do hope to become physically stronger and more relaxed, I am most interested in the spiritual/philosophical benefits from practicing yoga. I expect the memoirs to be especially useful because of how unique one's experience is with yoga, particularly as it is often practiced as a therapeutic tool in response to some life-altering occurrence.