The Secrets of Yoga - Living An Empty Life

The Secrets Of Yoga.com January 2010

“All life is being lived.
Who is living in it then?
It is the things themselves,
or something waiting inside them,
like an unplayed melody in a flute?”

-Rainer Maria Rilke, Book of Hours 2.12

When Betty took her first private Yoga class she was expecting it to help her develop coping skills for her depression. After twenty-eight years of marriage, without meaning or pleasure, she felt disconnected and numb. Now divorced and close to her sixties, Betty wanted something more for her remaining years.

While participating in the Yoga classes she noticed her chronic tension started to relax. She felt as if a new life was starting to flow through her arms and legs. The noticeable hunch in her upper back started to straighten. She could begin to see the world from a different perspective.

One day on the way to the Yoga studio she noticed the wind on her cheeks and found pleasure in this new sensation. She said that every morning now she has discovered herself enjoying a hot bath.

Nothing has change, but everything has changed.

Betty’s story is not much different from most stories. We are all brought to Yoga for different reasons, i.e. a friend takes the classes, wanting to lose weight, got a ‘free’ coupon. Whatever the reason, you have taken the first step for you. The first experience with Yoga may not be an enjoyable one but the majority return. Shortly after leaving that first class you may have noticed an exterior feeling (muscles and skin warm) but also something ‘inside’,
calmness, awareness. Without even knowing the reason or having any knowledge how Yoga works, you will recognize that a peaceful feeling is somewhere and that is when everything beings to change.

With the practice of Yoga, Betty started to live and recognize being in present moment. This is just one of the principal points in all spiritual teachings- live in the present.

Echkart Tolle, a renowned spiritual teacher, was asked about how spiritual growth can be measured, his response was: The spiritual growth can be measure by the frequency we find ourselves in a state of conscious thoughtlessness. That is to say completely in the present moment. (Note- He did not say that it can be measure by the flexibility of the body.)

Eastern and Western Yoga are completely different, not only in philosophy but in structure. Eastern Yoga is based upon spiritual teachings and less focus on physical positions (asana).

Whereas, the Western Yoga teachings are based upon practicing physical positions (asana), and have less focus on the spiritual teachings.

I am sure you have heard the saying that Your body is your temple, the temple where your soul lives. This is the reason you should focus on keeping healthy by watching what you eat and exercise.

Most of the time we focus more on our bodies than we do our minds, so what happens with our minds? Are you living in the present moment in your life? The majority of us spend time with thoughts of what happened in the past or what we want to happen in the future. Do you feel the breeze on your cheeks, the contact of the skin with water, smelling the food cooking? Do you take the time to listen to your own breath or your heart beat? Well, the first time you realize you have felt the breeze,
or the sun on your face, is the first time you will realize you are living in the present.

Today’s societies award the analytical mind, things such as passing tests, memorization, designing elaborate mathematical calculations, etc. All these things are considered to be an evaluation for intelligence. Of course these things are not a disadvantage in our world today, but the consistent analyzing, comparing, studying, competing, nothing is never enough, is enough. The analytical mind feeds on the more, and its main question is what is next?. Until you learn to BE vs. DO, and teach your
mind to slow down’, be comfortable with knowing that you do not have to be constantly ‘doing something’, that it is alright to ‘shut down’ for a moment and just simply BE, you will never know a completely peaceful life.

This ‘monkey mind’ (jumping around from thought to thought) as it has been referred to, is one of the main sources of our physical ailments; insomnia, mental neurosis, digestive problems, nervous system troubles, etc. The inabilities to feel the body, to stop the constant flow of thoughts we feel completely identified with, and with our personal history that constantly
repeats itself mentally will bring nothing but stress and unhappiness.

We don’t understand that thoughts are simply energy; like bubbles, that are made, have a spam of life, and disappear. The thoughts are not ours, like neither are we the one who makes our heart beat constantly. Simply happens.

You may have heard this story about a person; man, or woman, which suddenly suffers a drastic change in her/his life; perhaps an accident, or a serious illness, or a separation after many years in a relationship, and for the first time find they begin reflecting on life. Something never thought possible before, due to the lack of time, money, or both.

Then this person begins to ask many questions, and in that moment has all the answers. Answers she/he has never heard before because she/he was living in a fog, completely absorbed in thoughts, work, and the constant do do, and do whereas she had never taken time to listen.

Tolle explained that pain is a great opportunity to the present moment, but not everyone uses the opportunity. He compared the reason of this to the dreams. He said that a person that has a nightmare would have more motivation, and urgency, to wake up, vs. the other person with a beautiful, and pleasant dream.

The greatest truth, and the nucleus of all spiritual teachings is that all you are looking for is already inside of you. You don’t need anything more; no more time, no more practice, nor acquire more knowledge, or suffer more pain to be present in your live. This state of presence can only be access from this exact moment- NOW.