Guest post by Carrie Hensley of Dharma Connections for Sacred Connections.

I first discovered yoga…shhhhh don’t tell…because I wanted Madonna’s arms. 

After my first class I was hooked. This was a physical form like no other!  I didn’t have to jump around the world or stand up on an imaginary bike hill to get burning in my legs.  As I continued to come back to my mat, something else would happen.  I would feel more rooted in my physical body, calmer in my mind, and more conscious of my thoughts.  I was intrigued.

Where was this new found calm, balance, and peace of mind coming from?

What began as an outer physical workout regime turned into a home coming, an inner trek to connect to my own True Nature.  I quickly learned that asanas (physical postures) are only one of eight limbs on the yoga path.  The eight limbs of yoga are:

• Yamas: how you treat others and the world around you~ non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, non-greediness;
• Niyamas: how you treat yourself~ cleanliness, contentment, spiritual austerity, self-study, surrender to Source;
• Asana: physical practice;
• Pranayama: breath control;
• Pratyahara: withdrawal of senses;
• Dharana: concentration;
• Dhyana: meditation; and
• Samadhi: absorption.

Yoga philosophy is rooted in 25 principles, one of them being Isvara Pranidhana (God, Source, Great Spirit, the Sacred). After consciously embracing this philosophy for years, I continue to tread the yogic path because at the heart of yoga is the belief that there is a place within us that is non-changing, whole, and complete.  This place is Source.

To embody the yamas is to recognize that all things are a reflection of Source.  Ahimsa, or non-violence, the first concept along the eight-fold path, prompts me to hold veneration for all aspects of life, from the simplest of mosquitos (I didn’t say it was always easy) to the more dynamic concept of how I respect and care for mother nature.

One of the most difficult, yet profound as far as healing along the yogic path goes for me, has unfolded organically as I practice the niyamas.  I have had to learn a new way to interact with myself.  Before yoga, there was so much disconnect between various aspects of myself.  I had expended so much energy hiding those places of self-loathing, shame, and fear of unworthiness from being exposed.

In seeing myself as Sacred, I have been given permission to listen to the wisdom my body holds.  I have learned to appreciate and celebrate all that is right with me instead of focusing on what I am lacking.  I have learned that all parts of me are acceptable and necessary along the path towards Self-realization.

As I step onto my mat and flow back and forth, in and out of poses I connect to Source.

As I sink into a forward fold, I bow to myself, acknowledging that place of wholeness within myself

As I expand my heart open in a backbend, I surrender to Source.

Through this sacred movement of prayer, all of my areas of resistance are smoothed away, exposing me to my inner most Authentic Self.

Moving towards stillness by sitting in meditation reveals my deepest thoughts of separation and disconnect.  Learning to sit without judgment allows me to cultivate a gentle compassion towards the darkest aspects of myself, the parts I wish to hide from others.  By connecting to these areas within me, I am more capable of connecting and holding tolerance for those same areas in others.

Yoga connects us to the divine in all things by treating others and ourselves with reverence by stepping onto our mats through movement of prayer, and by sitting still with ourselves, in an attempt to come home to the beauty and Sacredness present within.

For me, yoga has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.  It has brought me home to my-Self and connected me to my life’s purpose, holding space for others to more authentically connect to their own True Nature.

Namaste’

Carrie Hensley’s personal life experiences have led her on a lifelong quest for self-discovery and truth.  She began teaching yoga in 1998 and also trained in Vipassana meditation. Through her own healing journey, Carrie has become a genuine example of the resiliency of spirit. Her core teachings integrate yoga postures (asanas), breath awareness (pranayama), Vipassana meditation, mindfulness, and humor to guide students to their own journey of intention, authenticity, and uncovering their life’s purpose. In 2005 Carrie co-opened Inside The Bungalow, yoga studio and cafe, with the intention of providing a Sacred space where students can come home to their own True Nature.
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