Giving Your Life a Gift

It’s been 50+ years since I first began doing yoga. This, along with my daily reflection of Buddha’s Noble Truths (p.604), has been the best thing I’ve done in my life for my life. Admittedly, a lot of living had to pass under the bridge of life before I truly realized this. For decades, conviction, pride, and ambition helped push me along.

Yoga as a vehicle can take you to indescribable places, depending on you, the driver. You can begin yoga by doing just one posture a day to get the ball rolling. Next year, or sooner if you like, add one more… and so on. Doing this one posture dutifully every day without fail is sufficient. That constancy will quite naturally take care of the rest over time.

Seriously ask yourself this question, “Can I set aside two minutes a day for my body and soul?” Next, consider this from chapter 13…

Why say treasure and trouble seem like a body?
I, as a result, have great suffering; this means I have a body,
Come the time I have no body, I have what trouble?
Hence, regarding the body as precious supports all under heaven,
Seems worthy of trust for all under heaven.
Taking care in use of the body supports all under heaven
Seems worthy of holding in the palm of the hand, all under heaven.

I’ve posted free PDF downloads for the most important beginning yoga postures. Begin now… what’s to lose but a couple of minutes a day. Download the PDFs at www.centertao.org/yoga/. For the complete book, google [Hatha Yoga: The Essential Dynamics].

I was thinking of doing a short video to cover the beginning postures. Then I thought perhaps there is something already online. Ha! Obviously, I don’t surf the web much! The following four videos taken together shed light on the big picture, as well as on key fundamentals important to know from the beginning. Simply google these titles:

Yoga GURU — B. K. S. Iyengar – The Ultimate Freedom Yoga [1976] 1/6
B.K.S. Iyengar – Yoga Demonstration, Sydney, 1983
B.K.S. Iyengar 1938 newsreel Part 1 (there is also part 2 and 3)
BKS Iyengar in 1977

The first title, “Yoga GURU…” has six segments. After watching 1/6, simply change the 1/6 in the search window to 2/6 and search again. Continue on up to 6/6. The second title, “…Yoga Demonstration, Sydney…” covers the basics nicely for 90 minutes. The last two videos are interesting for various reasons.