He's amazing! I am continually spellbound by the insights of the Yoga community. I previously spent a huge amount of time trying to be ok with who I am and to learn how to handle my "difficult" people. I literally stumbled across that personality a dozen times and each time they left me miffed, perplexed and usually in tears.
So.... getting back to Yoga, well the view is that you are fine the way you are. Its how the mind operates that mucks you up. You were born a shining wonder, yes, each of us. Can you believe that, your actually ok just the way you are!
On page 11 Mr Iyengar writes "Asana maintains the strength and health of the body, without which little progress can be made. It also keeps the body in harmony with nature. We all know that the mind affects the body, for example "You look down in the dumps", or "He was crestfallen". Why not, suggests yoga, try the other way round - access mind through body. "Chin up" and "Shoulders back, stand up straight" express this approach. Self-cultivation through asana is the broad gateway leading to the inner enclosures we need to explore. In other words, we are going to try to use asana (postures) to sculpt the mind.
Wow, use the mind to lead the body. Makes sense to me. Yoga asanas take you to places you might not feel like going to, but it opens up the body in ways that need.
Thanks Mr Iyengar!
Namaste.
