From The Archives: Are You Born In The Wrong Body?

Teaching at Liliana Lakshmi's teaching training, this question arises.. hear the response. 

In this episode, Mark explores how Yoga can provide a sense of unity and belonging amidst conflict and division in the world. He emphasizes that Yoga is not about seeking or trying to get somewhere, but recognizing and participating in the beauty, power and extraordinary intelligence that is always there, the wholeness and the harmony. 

Mark argues that religious seeking and presumption of separation are the root of conflict, and Yoga dissolve this illusion. He shares the principles from Krishnamacharya on adapting Yoga to each person’s needs, and the recognition of the Tantras of life’s inherent unity.

His position is that teaching Yoga is the necessary, cultural shift required to end conflict in separation, to end trauma, destructive tribalism and disconnection.

They discuss: 

- Why Yoga is needed as the response to divisiveness and terror. 

- Krishnamacharya’s emphasis on Yoga as embracing ‘what is’ rather than seeking some future state  - How religious doctrine has been used to create division, but true religion needs Yoga as its practical means - The end of spiritual seeking and ideas of a perfect future state - wholeness is already here - The tantric recognition and response - Adapting Yoga to each person’s body, age, health and cultural background  - Teaching Yoga as a stand against trauma and disconnection in the world Favorite phrases:   “The yogas of participation in the given reality.”  “Your body is in a profound unity with the total cosmos.” “Yoga is the practical means by which individuals actualize the great ideals of their culture, of their religion.”  “Trying to come into union implies the two are separate.” “Your body is the extraordinary intelligence that is the cosmos happening as you.”

Bali teacher training www.heartofyoga.com/bali-ytt

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:02:00] Krishnamacharya's emphasis on adapting Yoga to the individual 

[00:05:00] Already being the beauty - no need to get somewhere   

[00:10:00] Yoga as actualizing the ideals of religion and culture

[00:15:00] Division created by religious doctrine and seeking   

[00:20:00] The body as already in unity with the cosmos

[00:25:00] Yoga as participation versus seeking 

[00:30:00] Personal examples of transformative effects of simple Yoga

[00:35:00] Science, religion and Yoga as three stabilizing forces 

[00:40:00] Consciousness and objects as a unity

[00:45:00] No separate self or other

[00:50:00] Being beyond gender identification   

[00:55:00] Introducing principles of Krishnamacharya's Yoga