Spirituality, Yoga and Meditation

"Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief that there is something greater than myself, something more to being human than sensory experience, and that the greater whole of which we are part is cosmic or divine in nature." ~ unknown

"Yoga is a dance between control and surrender - between pushing and letting go - and when to push and when to let go becomes part of the creative process, part of the open-ended exploration of your being" ~ Joel Kramer

"Meditation is the process of seeing clearly into the nature of reality and coming to understand the true nature of things. It is the direct and systematic cultivation of mindful awareness, leading to a deep and lasting sense of inner peace and liberation." ~ Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (renowned Buddhist monk)

The above definitions of spirituality is a great start for explaining how I feel about it. There are so many elements of my own spirituality though. Two of the things that are defining factors in my spirituality include yoga and meditation.

I have always been a spiritual being but I never really knew what it meant to me. The older I get, the more I understand the multiple elements of being a spiritual person and what that means to me.

Spirituality itself includes the belief of a higher power. It includes the belief in spirits, the Universe, intuition, gut instinct and the belief of all good things. It includes the beliefs that animals have a supernatural power of knowing when something is wrong with me and the belief that everything happens for a reason. It's a search for meaning and purpose in life, or a connection to something greater than myself.

It also means that I feel connected to every other being in the Universe. I am not alone and I should treat everyone with the same love that I treat others.

My spirituality also includes self care and well being. Taking care of your mind, body and soul is an important part of spirituality. Two of the self care practices I have are yoga and meditation.

I have been going to yoga off and on for the past few years. Unity Yoga in Mt. Juliet, TN is the best studio I have ever found and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area! I've gone to quite a few classes and they are always great, but some just hit me as a class I was meant to go to. Robbi is one of my favorite teachers there and I have many great examples of why. Robbi tells stories at the beginning of each class. It may be about greek mythology or yoga practices or lessons she has learned from other yogi.

One particular night she started the class with a story about what yoga really is. She told us how the class was going to be a mix of control and surrender. She talked to us about how this is what yoga is. We control our movement or our breath and then we release and let everything go. As I listened to her talk, I realized how true this was. During the classes I go to, I learn to control my breath, control my movements and then I learn to let go. To release all the tension, all the worry, all the stress. It is one element of my becoming me. Very much a part of my spirituality.

Meditation is also another highly important part of my spirituality. It calms my mind, which is normally like a crowded highway of thoughts and emotions, and helps me find peace. It helps me focus on an intention and block all the noise going on in my head and the outside world. It calms me and provides great stress relief. When I meditate, I feel like a child walking through a field of wildflowers without a care in the world.

I don't expect my spirituality to match anyone else's. It is mine and it is tailored to me. Everyone has to find their own definition and learn to not judge others if their meaning is different. I feel that whatever helps you to become a more kind and loving person is a good practice. We need more calm and more love in the world.

I wish everyone peace, love and a sense of belonging!