Ever since we were kids we have always dreamed of having the power to change the world – world peace might be where some of us would start. Yoga in the modern age might be renewing a lost power in each of us that has been shut out by all of the noise in our lives but has the potential to change the world.
Regular people are finding out everyday that, although they might have started practicing yoga for the physical health benefits, they are starting to feel connected to themselves and others around them more than ever before.
Yoga In The Modern Age Of Material
There is no question that Western culture is controlled by our material desires. I’m guilty of overindulging just like most of you reading this right now can say about yourselves.
We do what we can to reduce waste but it seems like for every tree we plant a hundred more are being cut down in order to appease the masses. There are so many people that have so many different opinions on how things should be done it seems hopeless for the regular person to be able to affect any real positive change in the world.
So we focus on ourselves. We might have family, friends, coworkers or other passing acquaintances that appear throughout our lives but no matter what, we always have ourselves.
When you begin your yoga practice you will quickly realize that even though you live with yourself all day everyday, you might not know yourself as well as you think.
Yoga allows us to forget about the outside world and start taking note of what is going on inside of our own bodies, whether we like it or not. If you are just starting yoga and you have chosen a more modern yoga style like The Ultimate Yogi then you are definitely going to get your body in shape as long as you stick with it.
However, what you will start to find out as your practice advances is that once you are able to move through the postures without pain or losing your balance your mind begins to open and your practice becomes an enjoyable moving meditation rather than a painful workout.
You actually want to keep practicing because you are able to get even more in touch with yourself and your body as you do!
The Best Version Of Yourself
The modern age has given us luxuries that our ancient ancestors would have never thought possible. Instant access to anything that we could possibly need has made us complacent. One in every three adults in America are obese causing millions of deaths each year from preventable diseases.
A study in the Journal of American College Nutrition showed that when people regularly exercise it becomes a habit that frees up space in your brain to focus on something other than forcing yourself to workout. Now that your mind no longer has to focus on exercising it starts trying to figure out other ways to feel good.
If you’ve been consistently exercising but still haven’t changed your bad eating habits, your brain will start to crave healthier foods in order to get the most of the energy that you are burning. The more you exercise, the healthier you eat.
After sticking with your workout and eating healthier foods over long periods of time your energy levels improve, chronic pains start to go away, and your stress levels go down making you an overall fun and happy person to be around.
As we start to catch our stride as a population in this new technological age it is important for our survival and intellectual growth as humans to not lose sight of what is really important.
We work to make money so we can buy all the things that make us happy and then realize that when you buy happiness it usually doesn’t last very long. We search our whole lives for someone else to provide us with the affection that we crave when the affection that we need the most comes first from within ourselves. We indulge in our many vices, trying to find that one thing that will truly fulfill us but always wind up feeling empty.
Don’t Neglect Your Mind
Many people today take to focusing on their physical appearance so much that the gym becomes a second home to them. It is really cool to see the amount of gyms that are full of people doing whatever they can to get fit but it’s important to remember that your body is only one half of your entire self. You also must take time to work out your mind or you will be too easily swayed by the outside world and lose sight of what really matters in life.
Practicing yoga is so amazing to me because it allows me to workout my body with only the weight of my body which ensures that I do not rush the journey to a pain free, fulfilling life.
Not only am I shaping my body to how nature wants it to be shaped, my mind is becoming more focused and I am able to think more clearly in everyday life. Stressful situations like bad traffic or lines at the grocery store become just another necessary part of everyone’s life that I have no control over, relieving me of any reason to become angry or hostile towards others.
I’ll be the first to tell you that I am not perfect and I am not calm in every situation always but as you continue through your yoga practice it will become easier to control your responses and actions in everyday life. While many people only seek the physical benefits from practicing yoga, they might find themselves indirectly becoming a calmer and happier person making everyone else around them calmer and happier as a result.
If people started to look inside themselves instead of searching for fulfillment from the outside world then they might realize how much they already have to be grateful for. Yoga gives us a platform to start to recognize these things within ourselves while also improving our mental and physical health. If everyone was able to see that we are all just doing our best to be happy in life and start to work together so everyone can enjoy the benefits of the modern world, I believe real positive change could happen.
What do you think we could all do in our everyday lives that would make the world a better place?
Stick With It!
Hi,
First of all, what you stated within the first several paragraphs of your great article is so true. That is, being somewhat selfish too many of us think about or only care for ourselves – instead of the entire world at large. Each of us is responsible for the damage that is done to our planet, regarding the eco-system. Ideally we should care more for each of our involvement in what goes on with our planet, but too often it’s simply not the case. We focus just on ourselves, and also not more on our fellow man.
Yoga indeed does get you to focus, but in a positive way, on your own being. More than exercise, and a way to relief stress it also allows us to search deep into our minds. The activity is highly useful in allowing us to get to a point where we could achieve a level of fulfillment and satisfaction within our own lives.
I practice yoga, although nearly not as much as you obviously do, as a way of relaxation following many of my bicycling workouts and to relax overworked muscles in my back and legs.
Without question as you suggested it also involves eating healthier, (so many people in the U.S. being obese) as well as performing yoga that will enable a person to improve his/her own body’s physique and his/her inner mind and spirit
Great article!
Jeff
Hi Jeff!
You’re completely right about how we need to focus on our fellow man other than just ourselves. Since practicing yoga on a consistent basis I have already made huge changes in my own life about how I view and act towards other people. Even if you just add a little yoga in your life to supplement your other workouts you will see huge benefits. Thanks for the comment!