Yoga in the Park

Last month, it was my privilege to attend Yoga in the Park in Jacksonville,Florida; an event which raised funds and awareness for cancer patients and survivors.  Now, some might think that Florida is a long way to go for Yoga in the Park, but what it really was, for me, was an opportunity to not only learn, but to be with a very dear friend.  My friend, Linda, is a breast cancer survivor and we both attended yoga teacher training together at the Amrit Yoga Institute. Also, I lost my own dear mother to breast cancer five year ago.  This was just something I needed to do.

Now, I do not know the final numbers for how many were in attendance, but my best estimate was approximately 500 people showed up for the posture segment, and perhaps half of those remaining for the exceptional speeches thereafter.  My beloved teacher, Gurudev, Yogi Amrit Desai, spoke of the traditional aspects of yoga, something I’m certain you’ve heard Ramdas or I speak of if you’ve ever attended a class at Shanta Yoga.

It was amazing for me to watch and feel the response of others, those who have never been exposed to yoga, traditional or otherwise.  Gurudev spoke of both the inner and outer dimensions of yoga, but my favorite part of his speech was when he spoke of what yoga truly is and the affects it can have.  To paraphrase his words, he spoke of what we, as a society, believe yoga to be and why it is generally practiced; that is, postures on a mat or the physical aspects of yoga.  While the physical benefits are indeed enormous and are practiced all over the world, it still does not matter how flexible you become or how much weight you loose, you will never reach what is causing you stress without being guided by some sort of consciousness.  “You cannot force yourself into health.”

This is such a simple yet profound statement.  We need truly be aware of what is happening to our bodies.  Traditional yoga provides us with such powerful tools for learning about ourselves and what keeps us from our full potential.

This trip, for me, has had a lasting affect, which in turn has inspired a new class at the Shanta Yoga studio, which will begin Thursday, November 3 at 7:00 p.m.  Please check back here on Friday for a full description of that class and what it is all about.

Jai Bhagwan!