Empowerment

The week before last I spent 30 hours in live training with my teacher. He organized these five days around the theme of “Yoga as Empowerment.” I notice that we don’t often think of yoga in this way; it’s more common to talk about the physical benefits of yoga, such as flexibility, balance and strength. So how did my teacher emphasize the empowering aspects of Yoga?

The key to Yoga’s empowering qualities is ENERGY. Yoga makes it possible for us to use energy in these powerful ways:
▪ to digest food and make good use of the nutrients we ingest
▪ to move our body to heal, lengthen and strengthen it
▪ to direct emotions in ways that regulate our nervous system and nurture meaningful relationships with others
▪ to organize our thoughts so we can accomplish life goals that will be of benefit to the whole world, and
▪ by sending love and light to all beings who are struggling or suffering.

For me, the most empowering aspect of Yoga is that it’s given me the tools to take better care of myself. I have learned how to move to care best for my body, how to breathe to self-regulate breath and emotions, how to meditate to maintain a calm and focused mind, and how to connect with Spirit as a way of connecting with the deepest meaning of life.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes just now to consider what empowers you and especially how you have been empowered through the ancient art and science of Yoga.