Ashtanga Vinyasa Yogi
It is an ancient form of self hacking: An ingenious means to manipulate your mind/body state.
Most people don’t think about that connection per se. And only today is our scientific ‘microscope’ focused on our minds and behavior. We are learning so much now about what the ancient yogis may have known all along. Biologically, its known to promote ‘GABA’ production. In other words those wise dudes found a way to manipulate our biochemistry to reduce anxiety and promote calmness.
Ashtanga Yoga takes something that you normally don’t think about and makes in a central thing – breathing. Then it takes what you would normally focus on (your movement) and eventually relegates it to the subconscious. This is the great flip. That is part of the trick.
It uses gravity and your own body as the only resistance. What could be more natural? Do you think Adam and Eve had to build a fitness room in order to stay fit?
It makes focus and core strength your true power. The real power is not in the doing or the muscles but in the focus.
Its a great lesson for life. It provides another way to view overcoming obstacles. The classic way would be to attack ‘the problem’. The yoga way is to find the solution in concentration. By concentrating, we keep the ‘resistance’ at bay in our minds and minimize the tendency for us to let the problem ‘freak us out’.
Its not strength over matter. Its mind over matter essentially. I currently think of it as a mind game invented by ancients who wanted to break free of what they saw as the ‘mental trap’ we are all in. Its was a form of self power for them and a means to achieve a kind of ‘enlightenment’ . Imagine that, an intense exercise that is intended to primarily have deep mental results. Kind of a yogic ‘300’ workout.
Attention to breath may be the key. Think about it. G-d breathed into man and gave him life. The breath of life. The Holy Spirit is compared to ‘the wind’. Shallow breathing is associated with ‘fear’. Deep breathing with relaxation and meditation. Yet, modern man’s work outs don’t FOCUS on breath. The activity is the focus, breath should follow it. The secret to Yoga may just be the attention to breath. This should be the first lesson.