With the increase of cellphone use and social media by means of communicating, we as a generation are becoming more and more disconnected. There is group chats where there was once group hangs, mindless scrolling where there was once literature, video games where there was once walks in the park, and virtual reality where there was once reality. This blurred relationship with our true selves and with the world and the people around us can make for a lonely existence. Through practice, discipline and mindfulness, Yoga can help us find that lost connection that we so desperately seek.
At One With Nature
Before society put us indoors and in clothes, nature was our home. The cold of the raindrops on our nose and the feel of the grass on our backs – this was our truest form of existence. All too often now we see the nature that surrounds us as separate objects rather than part of our being, forgetting that we are with it and not just in it. In yoga there are many poses that force us to stay grounded by mindfully grounding our backs to the earth below us. There are poses that force us to reach towards the sky and feel that it is not so distant, and others that force us to balance and allow us to become rooted deeply into the earth like a tree. By teaching us how to stop, be still, and listen, yoga helps us to reconnect with nature and become friends with the earth.
At One With Each Other
One of the secrets to a happy and healthy life is the formation of real friendships and deep relationships with others. These types of relationships can only be formed through in-person contact and without the barrier of cellphones and social media. Simply by uplifting our mood and changing our perspective, yoga can motivate us to get out in the real world and form these valuable relationships by practicing our passion and sharing our beliefs and aspirations with like-minded individuals. Whether you practice alone or in a group setting, yoga can help break down the barriers of the digital age and facilitate more intimate connections with others.
At One With Our True Selves
The most important relationship we can have is the one with ourselves. Modern life and the establishment of a home, a family, and a career will inevitably divert our energy in a million different directions, and often our connection to our true self suffers as a result. We forget that we are there, behind the illusion of separateness and the physical body, and we become less whole. Yoga incorporates mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, and strong poses all of which help us center our consciousness inward towards our true self instead of outward toward worldly distractions. This can help us rediscover our deepest passions and desires, and once we recognise who we are and what we want we can begin to serve our true purpose, with joy and gratitude, as our true selves.
The ultimate goal of yoga is to awaken the human self and to guide us along the path of a higher, universal consciousness. By connecting with nature, each other, and ourselves, we can break away from the disconnect of the digital age and achieve this ultimate goal, which will allow us live together in peaceful bliss and true harmony.