purpose & intention

experience

Before we begin, take a moment and notice where you’re at here and now. Notice your surroundings, the temperature of your space, the sights, the sounds or where you may be holding tension. Maybe you even close your eyes and focus on your breath.

Wherever you’re at, try to sum up your observations in 3 words. They can be 3 separate words, or a phrase. Jot them down either on your phone, a nearby journal, or let them settle in your mind as you continue reading. We will come back to these words at the end of this post.

introduction

Today, I want to talk a little bit about purpose & intention. First to introduce this site and my philosophies, but also let you in a little bit to my experience finding yoga.

This site is by no means a guide to living. My intention for this site is two-fold: to share my personal experience with yoga and how it affects my life, and to connect with people to find common ground. As life only continues to grow messier, I find myself longing for a way to hold myself accountable for my thoughts and feelings.

I want to be able to share my experience with you in hopes of connecting with a community of people who want to push themselves to think deeper and find gratitude, love, peace and joy with what they have.

I hope you join me in this mission.

reflection

I started practicing yoga after college right before the pandemic hit. Craving a bit of routine and a new way to move my body, I was drawn to yoga for the physical benefits. I had a base understanding that moving your body also helped with mental health, but I did not sign up for my first class hoping to turn inward and learn more about myself.

This story is not unique.

Western beliefs have clouded the original intentions behind the practice of yoga. It wasn’t until I was in my teacher training that I learned yoga is actually meditation. The foundational text of yogic philosophy (The Yoga Sutras) actually very rarely mentions the physical practice. The second Sutra of book one reads:

Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ.

My teacher translates this to say: Yoga is stilling the turnings of the mind. This clearly shows that the purpose & intention of yoga was meant to be so much more than a physical practice. Once I learned this, everything changed.

Now, my experience with yoga is no longer something I do to get more flexible. It is a place to practice for when life gets hard. The purpose for a personal posture practice is to help turn the mind inward and prepare for meditation and life off the mat.

Committing to a life of yoga is so much more than a daily posture practice. Although this is an essential piece, it is a door to the greater world of yoga philosophy.

I hope you join me in my journey of learning more and more about yoga philosophy, and I hope my personal reflections can offer insight and inspire you to begin your own yoga journey….beyond the physical practice.

Experience

Come back your observational mind. Notice the way you feel now. Has tension crept back in? Has the breath lost its way or is it grounded?

Return to your words. Do they reflect your purpose & intention for your life? Take a moment here to write or create your own version of a personal reflection on purpose & intention. You can share your three words or your reflections in the comments below to join the conversation, or keep them for your own personal practice.