Yoga shopping

“Hi, lazy bones. Good morning. What are you doing?”

Nothing (I said truthfully). (You can’t fool Sara.)

“Good. The gang is going out shopping. We need your advice”

Me? shopping advice? Are you nuts?

“No, stupid. Listen. My friends and I have decided to get in to yoga. We are inspired to make a serious change in our lives.”

Oh? ok!

“We have signed up for the ‘Urban Power Yoga‘ program in the community centre.”

Huh?

“Yeah..So, we need some help to select spiritual accessories, yoga dressing, things like that.”

Yoga dressing? Accessories? (I repeated, meekly)

“Yeah. We are committing ourselves to the program. We are in it for the long haul. I am serious”

Uh-OK.

“We have shortlisted the things we want to buy. We are leaving now. Meet us at the mall entrance in half an hour.” (She disconnected the phone)

(My head started to spin! Hearing that Sara, the spitfire was joining an ‘Urban power yoga‘ program – whatever that meant – was not something I was ready to handle on a weekend! Confused, but curious, I dressed up and left. I didn’t want to face her wrath by reaching late)

Half an hour later, I was at the mall, being introduced to an excited bunch of her friends.

“We hear you are into this stuff already…That is so cool”, one of them gushed.

“Stuff?” I asked

“For God’s sake, stop repeating every word. You look like a deer in the headlights”, (Sara whispered in my ear, sounding irritated). “She’s referring to meditation, spirituality, psychic stuff – things like that.”

Oh, ok!. (Here’s another description of me I have to live with, I thought.)

“So, this is the list of things we are after…”

 

(I looked at the list)

– Yoga mat (with bag)
– Mat cutter and cleaner
– Yoga block/wedge
– Cotton yoga strap
– Balance ball (with hand pump)
– Silk eye pillow
– Salt crystal lamp
– Massage sandals
– OM T-shirt
– Flex Body suit
– Exercise band roll
– Brain vibration sounds CD
– Aroma therapy mood oils
– Scented Candles
– Gemstones
– Meditation posters

 

“So…what do you think? Do we have it all covered?”,her friend asked, excitedly

I am speechless.

“This yoga stuff is very expensive“, she said, rather sadly. “But we want to get it right!”

No doubt!

“Lakshmi did a thorough job. She researched this stuff on the Internet. There’s a shop in the mall that sells them all. The owner is a good friend of her Dad’s and we may get a discount”.

“I hope he has green mats”, another girl chipped in.

“So, let’s get started. Which make or models do you recommend?” Lakshmi asked.

I have absolutely no idea (I confessed).

“But, surely, you must be using some of them at least in your practice?”

None of them (I admitted).

“Aww….”(their heads hung in disappointment.) “Sara had told us you were something of an expert!”

(I could see Sara’s glare burn through my neck! I shifted uncomfortably!)

Frankly, people – I am sorry to let you down…but I personally have no clue why anyone would need any of these.

“What does one use for yoga then?” They asked me

You use yourself – as the beginning, the tools, the path and the goal

(They looked confused)

“Actually …our Yoga trainer told us that his approach to yoga will get us quick results in urban life”, Lakshmi said.

First, please tell me…with all due respect…since you are just starting off on Yoga, do you need a trainer or a teacher?

“What is the difference?”, Lakshmi asked.

A trainer shows you how to make a lamp just like the one he has. Training is a service. It uses repetition to achieve results.

A teacher inspires you to light your own lamp with his. Teaching is a transmission. At the end of the transmission, both lamps glow brighter, in their own way.

Both are useful, but they fulfill different needs…so choose wisely.

(I think that hit the mark. They were considering the difference.)

Secondly, what results are you after?

“Be free of stress, live without tension, harmony of mind and body, heal ourselves, develop psychic powers…things like that.”

Then you can see why the shopping list will not help.

“Why not?”, they queried

All the results you seek are within you. But all the tools you plan to use are outside you.

(They still looked confused, but showed a keen interest in learning more)

 

“What then is Yoga?”, Lakshmi asked hesitantly.

I think it was sometime in the 3^rd century BC – that a Sage called Patanjali – in his great work – the Yoga sutras –defined the goal of Yoga. Can I share that with you?

“Of course”, said Lakshmi.

I will tell you what his first few verses are. They were originally written in the ancient language of Sanskrit, but I will give you the closest Western translation I know of.

Yoga is the cessation of ALL the fluctuations of consciousness

Then, the Seer rests in his own true form

Otherwise, there is identification with the fluctuations

(The silence was heavy, as the weight of the words and the enormity of the task sunk in)

“That is weird. I am sorry, but I had thought all along, that it was just to do with breathing, physical exercises and meditation.”, Sara said.

What you describe are the paths of yoga. What I described is the goal of yoga. I think what has been lost in transmission over the ages is the goal. Like anything else in life, once the goal is clear in your mind, you will begin to access the wisdom that will lead you to it.

The paths of Yoga are many (Hatha, Laya, Bhakthi, Kundalini, Mantra e.t.c), but the goal is the same.

Some people sign up to learn a path, without being aware of the goal. They get benefits from their practice and keep honing their skills – but they are ignorant of the destination.

Some people subscribe to the goal, but do not keep up with a path. They soon get lost in the maze of their life and give up, if they are not strong-willed.

Some are self-taught. Having heard the goal, and developing a burning desire to achieve it, they walk away and create their own path to reach the goal. They have tremendous faith that they will reach it on their own. They just check with a teacher for specific advice now and then.

So, first be aware of what type of student you are.

Then, when you are ready, the appropriate teacher will appear in your life.

Almost on cue, all of them nodded their heads slightly, as if to say “Yeah. We get it now”.

Their shopping had ended.

Their learning had begun.