What is Yoga?

	"The mind must be quiet for the soul to speak"

Yoga means "union", and provides us with a healthy system, originating from India, to create a Divine union and devotion by merging our personal consciousness with higher consciousness. In the Classical Yoga sense, it is a very spiritual view of life involving personal self-transformation and positive change. There are many styles of Yoga that have become popularized. The Heart of Healing teaches the Classical Yoga style in class format and individual lessons. Classical Yoga is the foundation of all the other styles.

Yoga was not originally intended to be an exercise system. It is a purposeful lifestyle, and a spiritual path. Yoga is considered to be a style of ancient Chinese Qigong, sharing essential principles of energy work and cultivating "qi", or "prana", the essential universal life force. 2,000 years ago, yogic gurus came from India to China to contribute their spiritual influence and concept of enlightenment with the Daoists. (Yoga and Qigong are not religions.) We all are essentially energetic, spiritual beings of light, in a physical body, experiencing life from many different perspectives. Have you considered what your spiritual intention is this year?

Yoga is based on the holistic living concept of the Eight-Fold Path. Bob Butera, PhD, and founder of The Yogalife Institute headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, states that "the first two steps guide one in value-based ideals for conduct (yamas, niyamas). With one's approach to life guided, then a proper use of Yoga's technology is ensured. Step three includes diet, exercise, Yoga postures (asanas), relaxation, hygiene, and recreation. Breathing exercises for bio-energetic purification are step four (pranayama). Learning to go inward by withdrawing the senses, detaching from external distractions (pratchahara), is step five. The latter steps related to meditation include concentration (dharana), meditation (dhayna), and contemplation (samadhi)."

	"The process of self-healing is the privilege of every human being. Self-healing is not a miracle, nor is it a question of being able to do something that most people can't. Self-healing is a process that occurs through the relationship between the physical and the infinite power of the soul. It is a contract, a (Divine) union." --- Yogi Bhajan

One's yoga practice is all about learning lessons from life, and using the Eight-Fold Path to follow more healthy and energetic lifestyle. It is not all about taking a yoga class to learn the postures and see how well you can stretch and hold the poses. When done correctly, each posture, or asana, should result in a specific emotion such as "surrender" (Child's pose, Pigeon), or "concentration & focus" (Warrior pose). The Seated Forward Bend feels like a marvelous bath for the mind while opening up your "Ming Men", or "Gate of Life" located at your lower back, kidney area. Some poses can even point out what your limits are in life. It is about truly integrating the Yogic philosophy and spiritual union to improve your life physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually - - from the inside out!

The mission of The Heart of Healing is to teach and share the importance of integrating these wonderful ancient global traditions, and empower your interest in cultivating and storing your "Qi", or "Prana". The goals are to - enhance personal wellness, support self-care practices, attain longevity, and transform vital energies for optimal health!