The modern American view of yoga is as multi-dimensional as the practice itself. When thinking about yoga, the poses and postures immediately break into the minds eye, revealing the extreme possibilities of bending the body to contort and re-shape.  Because of this view, yoga can be intimidating to many.  Others, who have practiced yoga, realize that yoga truly is a therapy of not only the physical body, but it is also a therapy of the mind and of the self.

When we really look at the human existence, we realize that under each and every outward expression, there is an underlying past experience and condition that is causing it.  This is our small self.  This outward embodiment of our inward existence is subjected to the forces of our past that we must dissect and understand, so that we can release and receive the consciousness from our higher self.  The smaller self, which has been shaped and formed by our experience, oftentimes contains the insecurities that control us by creating an environment where they thrive.  Insecurities can be seen like viruses in that, they need specific conditions in order to survive.  These conditions are the ones where we find our small self.

The self does have layers and without deliberate effort to reveal the inner layers, the insecurities and the small self are at the forefront of our existence.  When this is the case, our world reflects back to us the chaos and negative energy that we distribute.

How do we strip away these layers to reveal the inner self, which is the true conscious human being?

Breath, movement, and surrender are three tools that can be used to strip away the layers to achieve consciousness.  This is yoga. The breath creates space in the body and in the mind.  The space created allows movement of the body and the mind into a place where it could not go previously due to tightening and collapsing of existence and expression. Once the movement begins, there are walls that will be hit. This is where the hardest step becomes necessary, surrender.

Surrendering, by some, is seen as a negative action, signifying weakness and failure.  All things are relative, and this applies here.  Surrendering to the higher self will feel as though you are weak or failing, but these feelings are merely the insecurities of the small self trying to protect themselves.  Surrendering to the higher self is winning because it brings awareness.

Yoga is a multi-dimensional therapy that aligns the physical and mental existence through breath, movement, and surrendering.  With all three of these tools, the higher conscious being within is revealed.  Yoga is a choice. Yoga brings power. Yoga breeds consciousness.

Kaylee Hamar