The Difference Between Action and Motion

Mr. Iyengar says, "Yoga is the science of action, not the science of motion."

At first glace you might say, is action and motion not the same thing?  At least this is what I thought.
But upon reflection I came to understand this sentence. 
An action is an act that one consciously wills, either physical or mental.  Motion on the other hand is any movement or change in position or place that is not necessarily done consciously.

Mr. Iyengar says, "Action is movement with intelligence."

We can create all sorts of motions everyday.  The subconscious lifting of our hands to our mouths to eat something in front of us and then not remember eating it.  The movement of the breath even when we are not paying attention to it. 

But, action on the other hand requires us to consciously put awareness into the movement. We are aware we are putting something into our mouths and conscious of the texture and taste.  We are paying attention to the breath, how it is moving in our bodies and actively participating in its movement through the practice of Pranayama.

Mr. Iyengar says, "To live in the moment and not in the movement of moment."

This is Yoga!

The statement in Light on Pranayama that says  - "knowledge without action and action without knowledge do not help man.  They must be intermingled.", begins to make more sense.
If we have knowledge, but don't put it into action, it is fruitless and if we have action with no knowledge of why, it is fruitless.

Mr. Iyengar says - "Take action, no mater how small"

Mr.Iyengar did not become the yoga master he is overnight!  He has dedicated over 75 years to his yoga practice.  It is only through our many small actions that we can perceive that larger ones may happen. 

Lord Krisna  says in the Bhagavad Gita, "Yoga is skillfulness in action."

As Mr. Iyengar explains in Light on Astanga Yoga, skillful action is an action that is performed with skillful intelligence.  He says every action yields fruit, yet it is the selfish motive behind the action that we must avoid.  He says that one should not expect or accept any reward or fruit of his action.  When this is done the action already ends with fruits!  That does not mean we are to do an action without aim, but without ambition for the self.

To end a quote from Ernest Hemingway - "Never mistake motion for action". 



We too often can have the appearance of action, when really we are "just going through the motions".
I hope you can bring more action to your everyday and your every movement...no matter how small.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/