Union

Yoga means yoke, or union.

Some say it means the union of body-mind-spirit.

My teacher, Syl Carson, says that yoga is "yoking together, to work in the best way possible". 

I say at the beginning of almost every class, to be present, is to bring your mind here and now, to meet/ unite with your body. This is something I struggle with, as I am constantly thinking about the past or the future. Tuning into my physical sensations is one of the beauties of a yoga practice for me. It is one of the only activities I engage in that invites me fully into the present moment. Breath is key for me. Pranayama (breath practice) unites the subconscious and conscious mind. And unites the breath with movements. 

Its common in Western-Christian culture to view the body as the antitheses of the spirit. But I believe they are intricately linked in a holy way and the body is essential to our spirituality. 

As a teacher, my goal is to be a space-holder, a guide, for the yoga to be the guru. I want to be an assistant to the student as they bridge the connection of body, mind and spirit. The practice is the teacher, always, as we move toward inner peace. That is the essence of yoga, I think. I know I've only just scratched the surface. Or perhaps I'll say... I've made a rotation or two, of an infinite spiral upward.

Bodhi Yoga