Many people walk around with a meaningless life, I've been there! They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things, difficult as these things are, our life becomes invaded and we have no time.
We have to find the strength and courage to be bring awareness into our lives and be true to ourselves, because if we don’t… if we don’t seek to find, to know and to understand the purpose of life and the reason for our existence, chances are that we will continue to live by default, betraying ourselves and thinking that it’s okay to walk on a long path.
Life is very simple, it really is, but because most of us live from the mind and not from the heart, we developed this false belief that life is complicated and that the purpose of our lives is something very complex and hard to find, but that’s just nonsense.
If you want to know what the purpose of life and the reason of your existence is, just close your eyes, place your hands over your heart, take a few deep breaths and just ask the answer of yourself. “What is the purpose of life and our existence?
And if you can silence your mind completely, connecting with the deep part of you that holds the answers to all your life questions, I guarantee you that the answer you will get will look something like this: “The purpose of life is to love. To become one with love and then to radiate that love outwards. To serve, to shine and to share your light with the rest of the world. “
That’s it. That’s all there is to it.
Nothing complex, and nothing too hard to find. To love those who love you, and also those who don’t. Not necessary because they deserve it, but because love is the only things we have to offer… The way I see it, life is love and love is life, and the more love flows through our veins, the more joyful we become, the clearer our vision gets, and the easier it becomes to connect not only with our own heart and Soul but also with the heart and Soul of every living being that inhabits the planet.
At the core level, we are all ONE, connected with each other in a very deep and powerful way. The only real purpose in life is to be happy, healthy and to love, it is our true nature, we weren’t born to always be tired, overworked, with little time for ourselves. On the surface, we might all look very different from one another but at the core level, we are all the same.
A variable yoga form system, like Vinyasa, exists to help us see what is changeless and permanent throughout all of the change. This might be an intention or purpose, a way of thinking or connection to something greater than ourselves.
“The core idea of Vinyasa Yoga is to shift emphasis from posture to breath…the only thing permanent in the practice is the constant focus on the breath.” And the breath is a metaphor for what is permanent in our ever-changing life—the universe, infinite consciousness or, most of all, love”. Gregor Maehle
So, What is Vinyasa Yoga?
The practice of linking breath and movement to flow through postures invites us into an expression that is sometimes missing in other forms of the practice. It the experience of being alive, connected and free. On a bigger scale we are moving energy, described as prana or life force. The process of moving invites us to feel alive.
Vinyasa is a style of yoga characterized by linking postures together so that you move from one to another, seamlessly, using breath. Commonly referred to as “flow” yoga. Vinyasa classes offer a variety of postures and no two classes are ever alike.
The opposite would be “fixed forms” such as Bikram Yoga, which features the same 26 postures in every class, or Ashtanga which has the same sequence every time. The variable nature of Vinyasa Yoga helps to develop a more balanced body as well as prevent repetitive motion injuries that can happen if you are always doing the same thing every day.
As a philosophy, Vinyasa recognizes the temporary nature of things. We enter into a posture, are there for a while and then leave. While Vinyasa, or Vinyasa-Krama, dates back to the Vedic age—the earliest period of yoga thousands of years ago—it referred to a series, or sequence of steps, to make something sacred.
The movement practice of Vinyasa is said to begin with T Krishnamacharya who has had the largest influence on how yoga, in general, is practiced today. Put all this together and Vinyasa, is a breath initiated practice, that connects every action of our life with the intention of moving towards what is sacred, or most important to us.
Characteristics of Vinyasa Flow Yoga
· Vinyasa Yoga connects one posture to the next using the breath. This can be thought of as linking or flowing into postures which is sometimes why it’s called “Flow Yoga”. The opposite of this would be an alignment based class where students engage with a posture, explore it for a period of time and then “break the posture” by coming out.
· “Transitions” are what connect one posture to another in Vinyasa. They are the in-between part. What is not always appreciated is that transitions are considered postures themselves. To move in a more graceful, connected way, allot just as much time developing skill in the transitions as you do in the asana.
· Vinyasa is synonymous with movement. Moving in and out of postures is the obvious movement but even in stillness Vinyasa is represented by the beat of your heart and inhale/exhale of your breath.
· Move with breath, breath initiates the movement of Vinyasa which is why you’ll hear it referred to as a “breath-synchronized” practice.
· Ujayi breath is the breathing technique used. It is done by inhaling and exhaling in a rhythmic manner through the nose. The overall sensation is one of relaxation.
· Vinyasa practice generates heat and can add a cardiovascular component not always present in other forms of postural practice.
