Become A Yoga Teacher Starting At Only $2295.
Enlightenment We Learn Is Everywhere
To an ancient Yogi, enlightenment may mean transcending the material world. And the constraints of the mind to find full liberation.
Personally, enlightenment as I learned in Yoga Teacher Training in the classical sense sounds like a whole lot of nothing. If there is no body, no mind constraints – what is there? If you can rise above the physical plane and see the whole web of humanity from above. And all the connections of the universe, what are you?
All Over: Enlightenment
In many parts of the world: Vancouver, Victoria , Kamloops, Banff, Jasper, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, St Johns, or abroad in London, Greece, Bali, Thailand, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, New Zealand, Hawaii, freedom resonates the most when we are enlightened.
Internal Focus
Enlightenment can be an internal focus, one can be enlightened only about oneself. We do not necessarily need to strive for being fully enlightened about the entire universe.
We do not need to give away all of our material possessions and live a purely ascetic life. There can be layers of enlightenment and awareness about yourself that can be different for every person.
In the enlighten up video, Nick Rosen is waiting for a divine intervention or an “Ah-ha” moment. I think this isn’t the best way to approach yoga or a lifestyle change in general. To me enlightenment can be whatever you need at that time.
Enlightenment can be learning about your body, how it moves, how it works. And how to best take care of it. Enlightenment can be quieting the mind, relaxing, releasing stress, and finding clarity through yoga, movement, or meditation.
Enlightenment can be taking yoga off your mat, realizing that you can do more to serve your community. It also means you can be kinder, and choose nonviolence.
Emotions
The subtle changes in your mind, body, thoughts, and emotions through yoga may go largely unnoticed by most people. You don’t do one class and emerge a fully self aware and new person.
The ability to hone in and begin noticing these subtle changes can be a form of enlightenment in itself. The more aware we are of ourselves, our body, our minds, the more control we have over our emotions and the more control we have over our lives. I also believe that humans are inherently part of the energy of the universe.
Enlightenment may also mean tapping into this power, getting on the same wavelength. I think the current modern world pushes and pulls us in multiple directions, where our focus may be more on our 9-5 job, or taking care of kids or our families.
Practicing
By practicing yoga, slowing down, quieting our mind and external forces, we can focus on the vibration and energy of the universe and pick up on the vibes.
Living in closer alignment with the universe may move us in the right direction and allow us to feeling “enlightened”, light, or at peace with our lives and our path.
That is why yoga is a practice, it is a lifelong pursuit of being a better person inside and out, and this to me is the search for Enlightenment.