Many people who are approaching yoga for the first time often ask: Can a tradition that originated over 5000 thousand years ago in India be relevant to the lifestyle we embrace today? The answer is YES! For yoga presents the possibility to directly access what the ancient Yogic scholars refer to as “The Hidden Dimensions of Existence”. Whether we are searching for inner peace, calmness or equanimity; whether we desire a sense of mental clarity and focus; or emotional certainty, yoga holds an astute wisdom which can enrich our lives immensely.

Yoga is a discipline. It is a practical approach to understanding our mind and body; our thoughts and contemplations; our physical aches and pains. As we step onto our yoga mat each time anew we embark upon a journey of self-inquiry and personal exploration. And while including the practice of yoga in our weekly self-care initiative may seem a bit challenging at times – in the long run, this investment of time and effort bears its unique fruition.

The purpose of Yinspiration Yoga is to help individuals awaken to their authentic physical presence – to be able to listen to the signals that their body is sending them. It is about creating a core strength from within that will serve as a resilient foundation for our muscles, joints and limbs. The overall intention of one’s yoga practice is to achieve a sense of integration. By incorporating the flow of breath, the wave of movement with the appropriate physical posturing and alignment, yogis are able to function in the world more freely and vibrantly.

I prefer to perceive yoga as an evolving practice of loving kindness and self compassion, that offers a lifetime of possibilities for people to mindfully attend to their own personal and unique needs. Yoga helps us to get to know ourselves better, to understand ourselves in a more whole-hearted way, and in doing so it guides us on our path to the cultivation of authentic relationships with ourselves and others.

As part of Yinspiration Yoga journeys, it is important to be mindful of the following:
The principles of Yoga teach us that all parts of the body and mind are interconnected. If we influence one part of the body, we influence the other parts as well. As we discharge old and stale energy from our system we promote a higher order of physical and emotional well being.

Yoga is the art of “linking” or uniting all parts of ourselves – our body, our thoughts, our consciousness and awareness. Each time we allow ourselves to become consciously aware of what is going on in the present moment we are learning to accept ourselves as we are – without any struggles or resistance. This is an exploration of our reality, a journey of mindful action steps.

Yoga is an opportunity to connect with the wide range of sensations that our bodies hold. We can take this opportunity to connect with our sensations and move with them, as a way to understand our bodies better. In doing so, the urgency to resist or stop any negative sensations that we are feeling – because they are too painful or overbearing gradually shifts. With the appropriate use of breath and movement we learn to release the stress and tension that has been stored up or suppressed deep down inside.

And finally – Yinspiration Yoga is a self-exploratory journey, in which we experience our movement from the inside out. And while one of yoga’s goals is definitely to strengthen our muscles and promote a suppleness to our spine, we also want to achieve a clearer sense of awareness in our physical bodies, that originates from our own natural rhythm. The ebb and flow of our inner rhythm is the key to fluidity and spaciousness in our lives.