Connection! This is a basic need for us humans and one that we all seek in order to feel joy and fulfillment. Yoga provides a set of practices, philosophical ideas and lifestyle techniques to cultivate connection on all levels: mind, body and spirit, connection to our Self, others and the planet.

“Connection is the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard and valued — when they can give and receive without judgment.” — Brene Brown

In today’s modern world, it is easy to lose this sense of connection to ourselves, others and the world around us. Yoga is often translated as Union. When we bring union to the body and breath, we deepen our sense of awareness and with that comes compassion and understanding. By tapping into our innate ability to connect on the spiritual level through our physical practice, we find deeper connection off the mat in all our relations and the world in which we live.

Here are 5 ways yoga helps us cultivate connection in all aspects of our lives:

Breath and Body

Consciously uniting the mind and body through breath and movement, yoga invokes a sense of peace and makes us more present, clear, focused, and energized. This is helpful on our mats but is a valuable benefit in our lives as we become more mindful of our thoughts, words and actions.

Self Awareness

Understanding the inner workings of the mind to reveal the true Self and gain clarity on your purpose is one of the philosophical attainments of yoga. With clarity of mind, our life’s path, goals and manifestations are illuminated. From this place, we invite our intuition to guide us.

All our Relations

Acknowledging and understanding the unity between all beings motivates us to treat others with greater respect, love and kindness. In realizing our innate connection, we shift our perception which helps to heal all of our relationships—with friends, colleagues, family and strangers. Yoga philosophy teaches us to lead from the heart and walk our path with compassion!

CommUnity

Within the word community, we see the word Unity. Cultivating a spiritual community and finding union within that is a big part of our yoga teacher training programs.Yoga philosophy provides a set of Universal Truths and values that speak to people of all different backgrounds, experiences and cultures. Yoga is a powerful tool to attract the energy in which you are seeking so that you may form a conscious community in which to support your spiritual journey.  

Connection to the Earth

Through this practice of cultivating Union, we nurture connections that positively impact our entire beings, lives and the world around us. When we feel connected to ourselves, we easily feel connected to all beings and the Natural world. Through deeper states of presence, we feel a heightened sense of awareness through sight, sound, touch and smell. With this comes the awareness of our responsibility to care for and respect the Earth, to live in harmony and Union with all that is.