Intention of Week 8 - Divine Yoga: Do the Asana with Your Soul

Sankalpa - intention

Set an intention, and see what happens.

All ideas have been taken from B.K.S. Iyengar's book, "Light on Life", p.61-64

In this section Mr. Iyengar blends how the external body is working to attain a pose, but at the same time the internal core is reaching out to help.  He says, "The material body has a practical reality that is accessible.  It is here and now, and we can do something with it.  However, we must not forget that the innermost part of our being is also trying to help us.  It wants to come to the surface and express itself."

He says, "Asanas, when done with the right intention, will help to transform an individual by taking the person away from an awareness of just the body toward the consciousness of the soul.  The body is the bow, asana the arrow, and the soul is the target."

From here we can hope to turn each of our asanas into a "virtuous asana".  To do this Mr. Iyengar says that we must do the poses with the right intention, not for ego or to impress.  He says it must not be just your mind or even your body that is doing the pose, you must do the the asana with your soul.

Namaste.
Pam Nelson
www.plnyoga.blogspot.com
plnyogastudio@gmail.com