Yoga as a path to self-realization
Our world today is filled with incredible opportunity for finding our way to information and turning that into personal knowledge that has never been available before. However, the big danger that comes along with that potential, is that we don't take anything seriously enough - information is just a click or two away and most folk now-adays have lost sight of the enormous difference between real experiential knowing and just mass market information. So if we are truly interested in self-realization, we should know at the outset that the path of Yoga needs a very firm commitment and decision to do whatever it takes. Another formidable challenge that I see a lot of is folk making that substantial commitment, but it seems that they live for the path, for yoga, for their teacher, for the trendy vibe and many more exterior identities. That deep commitment I speak of needs to be to made to one's self. Self as intrinsic being, the spiritual being within us all, that being of awareness that transcends the mundane world and even the realm of time, space and matter. Folks everywhere are in desperate need of finding real meaning to the major questions of life. As a species we seem to have collectively lost sight of who we really are, and furthermore, have seriously over-run this magnificent planet, and are causing huge damage to natural environments and rapidly draining the available resources. This seems to be a symptom of a lack of true spiritual knowledge and understanding. Spirituality that is rooted in personal and collective responsibility, knowledge and understanding, is the only way we are going to find inner peace and begin to solve the tragic circumstances currently prevailing in the world. Circumstances we ourselves have wrought. So Yoga as a path to self-realization offers us a perfect model and method since the very meaning and essence of Yoga is realization and consequent 'union' with universal consciousness. Having said that there are not really any true short cuts. We all have to travel the road and no one can ever buy self-realization for any amount of cash. We all have to earn a living and pay bills and so on, however Gurus and often self-styled masters asking large amounts for there material and making extravagant promises should be treated very wearily indeed, or better still shunned. Namaste
Our world today is filled with incredible opportunity for finding our way to information and turning that into personal knowledge that has never been available before. However, the big danger that comes along with that potential, is that we don't take anything seriously enough - information is just a click or two away and most folk now-adays have lost sight of the enormous difference between real experiential knowing and just mass market information. So if we are truly interested in self-realization, we should know at the outset that the path of Yoga needs a very firm commitment and decision to do whatever it takes. Another formidable challenge that I see a lot of is folk making that substantial commitment, but it seems that they live for the path, for yoga, for their teacher, for the trendy vibe and many more exterior identities. That deep commitment I speak of needs to be to made to one's self. Self as intrinsic being, the spiritual being within us all, that being of awareness that transcends the mundane world and even the realm of time, space and matter. Folks everywhere are in desperate need of finding real meaning to the major questions of life. As a species we seem to have collectively lost sight of who we really are, and furthermore, have seriously over-run this magnificent planet, and are causing huge damage to natural environments and rapidly draining the available resources. This seems to be a symptom of a lack of true spiritual knowledge and understanding. Spirituality that is rooted in personal and collective responsibility, knowledge and understanding, is the only way we are going to find inner peace and begin to solve the tragic circumstances currently prevailing in the world. Circumstances we ourselves have wrought. So Yoga as a path to self-realization offers us a perfect model and method since the very meaning and essence of Yoga is realization and consequent 'union' with universal consciousness. Having said that there are not really any true short cuts. We all have to travel the road and no one can ever buy self-realization for any amount of cash. We all have to earn a living and pay bills and so on, however Gurus and often self-styled masters asking large amounts for there material and making extravagant promises should be treated very wearily indeed, or better still shunned. Namaste
