Why are we here?

My teacher is Laurie Blakeney. This week I announced that I am going to borrow her idea to introduce a weekly topic for discussion. The discussions will be brief, just a few minutes, but hopefully informative. At the end of the week I plan to post a summary of the discussion here on the blog.

Laurie told me that her first class discussion topic was “Why are we here?” so I thought it fitting to start there. Next week we will discuss a different topic of my choosing. Students are welcome to suggest a topic that could possibly be added to the queue.

So this week we discussed why we are coming to yoga class, or perhaps practicing at home. Why we are committing to yoga. The answers in the classes varied. Some said they felt stiff and hoped to gain flexibility. Some said they were returning to yoga after a long absence and hoped to have a similar positive experience as they did when they were younger. Some others said they were just curious about it and decided to sign up for a class because it was convenient.

The folks in Level 2 discussed how their practice helps them to focus and calm down, feel connected. One student said she felt like she was able to cultivate a lightness within. There was some mention that asana was fun and they felt healthier but the bulk of the discussion focused on the change they felt in their mind. From a teacher’s point of view these responses are an indication that the teaching is moving us in the right direction. It’s also a testament to their continued commitment over a course of time. After all, a change in thinking takes time.