The Art of Yoga heralds a vast subject. It describes a way to guide ourselves toward open hearted self enquiry as clearly and as supportively as possible developing a balanced approach to working with mind and body.
But, what does it mean, the Art of Yoga? Well, BKS Iyengar wrote a book about it. A good title for a book and as subject matter on a creative website, but let’s unpack a little.
From decades of attempting to understand a body and mind that could be thrown into auto-immunity at any time, the nuances of yoga created a place in my practice. The subtleties of movement and awareness grew to cultivate a place of ‘unknowing’, a simply being. A co-existence of the physical, the subtleties and the visual in the putting together of yoga asanas provided space, and this, in my mind, is the Art of Yoga. Further, in creativity, when I am being moved by the act of making, painting, writing, a similar experience of ‘unknowing’ arises, some refer to it as ‘being in the zone’. In ‘the zone’, subtle and profound shifts in perception are occurring, influencing the way we see ourselves, how we see others and how we form clear judgements about the world we exist in. Establishing sadhana, regular daily rituals, beside an asana practice, gives a steady intelligent awareness of our existence and maintaining an open-hearted enquiry serves to deepen those roots.
Above all, the Art of Yoga keeps us on the mat!