The very distinguished abbot of a huge Zen monastery wrote this little article that said, ‘In Zen, there are only three things. First, cleaning. Second, chanting. And third, devotion. That’s all.’ Many Americans go to Zen hoping to get enlightened, but they don’t want to do the cleaning. —Taitetsu Unno
Saratoga Springs Yoga
I started teaching yoga back in 2001. As a group fitness instructor I really followed the trends and yoga was starting to have a strong influence in what one saw in fitness magazines and workout videos. (This of course was back when I actually read fitness magazines and bought workout videos)
Suddenly, everyone was performing all sorts of plank variations and creating downward dog type fusion movements with leg lifts and cat/cow was becoming a standard.
And the more I started to incorporate these movements into my teaching, the more intrigued I became with yoga.
You see, the thing is, even back when I was first starting out as a fitness instructor, my goal was never solely to acquire a perfect physique or to help others do the same. (although I was body conscious back in those days) My main goal was to help people to feel better about themselves. To be happier through self evolving and I understood very quickly the correlation between movement (the workings of the body) and how it can trigger personal growth.
And I knew that even if people came to take my classes solely looking for a perfect physique, that was my opportunity to teach them that there was also something more. Something greater.
And that’s when I came up with the teaching method of “sneaking my message in through the back door” . At the surface level, by all outward appearances I was giving my students exactly what they were looking for, while I was actually sneakily also giving them what they really needed, but did not yet know existed.
Kind of like the intro of this blog.
Deb Neubauer guest teaching at Saratoga Springs Yoga
Will yoga give you a better butt? If you practice consistently and with a lot of effort, probably yes. Is that the reason to practice yoga? Well, if that is the reason required to get you on the mat and start, then I also say yes.
Just be aware that yoga is more about working from the inside out. Whether you want to or not.
And also be aware that if you are taking lessons from a teacher who really knows what they are doing and who is passionate, and strongly trained in all aspects of yoga, it could be a bumpy, joyous, life altering ride that never ends until you completely don’t care about what kind of butt you have and instead start to care about what kind of life you are living and whether you are living it fully.
And these things can take years to unfold. And that is totally okay!
That is the beauty of yoga. No path is the wrong path. Wherever you are at today is where you are meant to be. And if you are coming to the mat right now solely to see physical transformation, so be it. Just always stay open to the greater possibilities too.
The irony for me, or not really, is that is wasn’t until after I really started to transform and blossom open from the inside, that I finally, almost miraculously, stopped struggling and yo-yo-ing with my exterior form. That being my weight, size, and shape.
Is it a lot of work? Oh hell yes! More work than any physical workout you could ever conceive.
But through yoga, the poses, and with the right teacher who can guide you and gently support you as you sometimes violently break open to finally become whole, life becomes an offering. You learn to look inward with compassion and forgiveness and to then open to something greater.
So, if you want a yoga butt, practice yoga.
If you want to be happier, practice yoga.
If you want to lose weight, practice yoga.
Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when you end up finding a whole universe opening up to you that takes you to places you never imagined in your wildest dreams. That it calls you to challenges you never thought you could tackle. That it transforms you in ways that are right now beyond your momentary limited comprehension.
Sure, I can give you a yoga butt.
Just step right through my back door…
*Saratoga Springs Yoga[2] has two wonderful programs starting this month. An Online, 10 Week Weight Loss Program[3] and a 11 Month Body Thrive program.[4] To learn more, go to their website at this link[5] !
Here on real [FIT] life, we will continue the discussion about yoga and meditation, so keep checking back! I have added a yoga and meditation section in categories to the right of this blog.
References
- ^ www.realfitlife.com (www.realfitlife.com)
- ^ Saratoga Springs Yoga (www.saratogaspringsyoga.com)
- ^ Online, 10 Week Weight Loss Program (www.saratogaspringsyoga.com)
- ^ 11 Month Body Thrive program. (www.saratogaspringsyoga.com)
- ^ this link (www.saratogaspringsyoga.com)
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