Like our yogic journeys, the summer solstice personifies the delicate balance of our entire planet, two opposite seasons of light and dark beginning simultaneously…connected. On this day, we celebrate the powerful interconnectedness of yoga that empowers us to tap into our spiritual roots and find our own balance between earth, light, and one another.
Tap Into Your Roots with Harpinder Mann
Meet Harpinder Kaur Mann. She is a Punjabi Sikh American yoga teacher, mindfulness educator who looks at four ways to deepen your yoga practice with mindfulness and respect. Watch the video below to see how she honors the roots of yoga.
The first way is to acknowledge the roots of yoga, to appreciate that yoga is a spiritual practice, a philosophy, a way of being that originates from the Indian subcontinent, from South Asia. Having this understanding of the history and the context makes a big difference for our practice.
The second way is to look at the goals and intentions of yoga. Yoga is a pathway of moksha, of liberation. It's a way to lessen our suffering. It's a way to see how interconnected we are to all beings. It's also a way for us to be of service to ourselves and to others. It's also a path of self-inquiry, beginning to understand, "Who am I? What is the nature of reality?"
This leads to our third point of living ethically. We can turn to the Yamas and the Niyamas here, like Ahimsa, non-harm, to Santosha, building that sense of contentment and gratitude.
Number four is being really patient with yourself, having a consistent sadhna, a consistent spiritual practice, whether it be reading scriptures, meditation, pranayama, and knowing that this path of yoga is going to take time. It might take lifetimes!
Follow @Harpinder to learn more ways to deepen your yoga practice with mindfulness and respect.
