“The way through this world is more difficult to find than the way beyond it” -Wallace Stevens from Answer to Papini. Yoga was born in India, its chronological origins lost in the mists of time, given the popularity that Yoga enjoys these days most of us know that much. What we don’t know is that Yoga is not just an Indian practice. When at ease and at our best we are all practising Yoga.

I have taught Yoga for over 20 years and the more I practice and teach the more I realize that all human beings are at some inherent level natural Yogis. Just watch your toddler or infant move, then open a yoga book and see the astonishing similarities! Babies actually practice Asanas (Yoga postures)! As for the calm, contemplative state of mind that Yoga promotes, well, who doesn’t have memories of communing with nature, experiencing love or performing a rewarding, fulfilling task? Aren’t these experiences of enlightenment in the world? As Zen teacher Suzuki tells us “enlightenment is an ordinary experience”, not a lofty goal attained through difficulty and struggle.

Our brains are actually designed to provide these experiences through the fluctuations of brain waves. These span the spectrum of thought from planning and problem solving to relaxed inspiration and to deep sleep. Thus Yoga in a sense teaches us nothing new; it is in our natures to relax, contemplate ,to enjoy living in our bodies and to feel a connection with all of life, the problem is that we just forget! What a good facilitator can help us to do is remember what we know already. One of the passages from “The Upanishads”, one of the classical text of Yoga Philosophy reads simply “…Remember , my soul, remember!” We know deep down in our heart and guts , and in our mind, when the mind is calm and clear, what is good and appropriate and what is not. The trick is to re learn (remember) through practices and techniques, how to calm and clear body and mind. Yoga offers us those techniques, and the gifts of time and space to breathe, rest, and live more deeply.