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august 2017yogajournal.comLEARN MORE!
Yoga Journal’s new online
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If you’re ready to get a fresh
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20-percent discount.more important. The asana have a pur-
pose—they open up our bodies, making
us strong and vibrant and prepared to
receive life. But yoga is about how we
use that strength and vitality. It is about
how kind we are, how much we care
about others, and how respectful we
are to planet Earth. It is about living
in integrity with your dharma.Sri Aurobindo said, “All life is yoga.”
That means yoga is about the thoughts you
think, the words you speak, and the actions
you take. It is about the person you are
becoming each moment. This is the power
of Purna Yoga. We use it all the time: in
our relationships with others, in the way
we interact with the world. It is our life
experiences that count; the shape of our
bodies is superficial. Unfortunately yoga
has become very egocentric. Yoga is not
about fitness. Our bodies are going to die,
but our spirits, which we take with us fromlife to life, will live on forever.I want people to focus on now. If we
take care of the moment with integrity,
the future will take care of itself. It’s high
time yoga moved toward a holistic system
of living and away from egotistic asana
practices. Our spirit must flow in our lives,
not our egos. Observe yourself throughout
the day to determine if you are living in
your highest integrity and highest ideals.
Ask yourself, “Am I educating myself every
day so my ideals grow?” We need to realize
we are not here to play around. Yes, we
must enjoy life, but we must also evolve
and be of a kind, loving nature. I’m not
talking about a woo-woo kind of love.
I’m talking about actually being of value
to others and the planet. Purna Yoga is
very real. It scares away some because it
demands self-observation and change, but
those who want more out of life love this
magnificent system.MASTER CLASS
practice well
Let nature be
your teacher.
Let nature be
your teacher.
—William WordsworthEarn a graduate degree
in natural health
that honors both ancient traditions and
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