Yoga: what is it good for? by Sofiya Hyder

The wisdom of the hatha yogi is not only in balancing the solar and lunar currents in the body, but also in uniting embodiment and self realization.  The senses and desires of a human being can distort reality by exaggeration and egoic projection or be viewed as circuits of creative energy whose play is perpetual, purposeful, and limitless.  Similarly, our sexuality, spirituality, and personality can become oppressive and one dimensional or be tuned to reflect our unique and radiant connection to our higher self & full potential.  Through the practice, we gradually shed layers of old conditioning and began to open up to different states of consciousness, deeper forms of presence, and an array of physical expressions.  The question that burns for me, however, is whether the difference between real transformation and a fleeting experience or even a fantastic act is not to found in the support of a community that is open, inclusive, and rooted in love….?

The source of this love can be called mystery, imagined as a god or a goddess, or conceived of as the “unborn.”  It is the very flow of life and timeless as a sacred geometry of art and worship.  It is felt as inner peace.  We live in a strange culture, one where our wounded relationship to power makes a taboo of intimacy and a mockery of intuition, and our bodies are the first to register this disharmony through aches and pains and dis-ease.  The love that is needed is a rite of passage, a coming of age, and a trust that binds ritual and initiation to devotion and service.

As we stretch our hamstrings and maximize our lung capacity, I would like to remind us that there is also a way in which our “workout” can be a prayer, an investigation, and an offering.  By understanding our minds, our relationship to movement, and the structure of our drives, we create a ripple effect that has a positive impact on the whole world without the high cost and risk of dogma.  By accepting the call to bring mind body & soul together, whether on or off the mat, we express our greatest strength and vulnerability – the ability to touch and be touched. 

Sofyia Hyder | Yogi & Spiritual Poet | Carrollton, TX 
hyder_sofiya@yahoo.com | www.facebook.com/allroadsleadtoaum
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