The idea behind yoga is to teach the mind through the body.
We often see the effects of the mind on the body,
for example when we are sad or tensed one can see this by the way
we hold our head or shoulders.
Yoga uses this body-mind connection in the other direction-
It teaches the body how to improve, and the mind naturally
follows.
The goal of yoga is to enable ourselves to live happily and freely,
and to live life to its full potential.
One goal of yoga is to teach how to improve and approach challenges in life
with a calm, free, and restful mind, yet awake and aware and not numb.
At first sight the two words, challenge and calmness,
seem to be contradicting, but they can actually live together.
The physical exercises teach the body gradually but steadily
to gain more strength, flexibility and stamina,
and naturally and intuitively, without strain,
the strength, flexibility and stamina of the mind follow.
Moreover, the strong distinction between body and mind
gradually disappears, and a feeling of union
between mind and body is achieved, what is called the body-mind.
Yoga is a truly remarkable system, because it
enables one to improve.
Improve in what? In whatever one pleases.
Yoga simply gives the tools, which are improvement in patience, stamina,
strength, and flexibility of the mind-body. These capabilities
reflect in everything
one chooses to do.
Oh, I forgot perhaps the most important effect of yoga, to my taste.
It is the feeling of freedom.
Freedom, in all aspects. It starts with the emphasize of yoga
on flexibility. As one becomes more flexible, each of the different parts
of the body seem to gain its own distinctive feelings.
It is as if some space is created in the joints, so that each part
of the body can move freely without being attached to the other parts.
This feeling of freedom of different organs translates to
other feelings of freedom. That of the different parts and aspects in one's
mind, or course; Suddenly it no longer seems contradictory to
express different aspects of yourself, and to have many ways of expressions.
Each way gains its place. Afterwards, other freedom sensations appear,
like the freedom and space between yourself and others. It is easier
to give other people the space they need, and to take your own space
when you need it.