"For gods sake, hold thy tongue and let me love (practice)."
The Canonization. John Donne
In ancient texts such as theShvetashvatara Upanishad, the term (Bhakti) simply means participation in, devotion, and love for any endeavor,
Wikipedia
"Love is Bhakti for them".
Krishnamachara
No, yoga is not just about flexibility but rather the discipline that develops that flexibility. That discipline is an aspect of yoga whether on the yoga mat or carpet whether with the gymnast or the contortionist or no doubt any other discipline we dedicate ourselves to. It's tapas, one aspect of yoga that marries with other aspects, perhaps yoga marries better than most, gymnastics can become distracted by competition, contortion by the demands of the show....
"Without the breath its just gymnastics, contortion, circus skills", what nonsense!
Prayer.
Give me the dedication of the gymnast, the devotion to the art of the contortionist but allow me with the yogi to take no interest in achievement, in how my asana looks, how I look, to see no difference between asana, to practice diligently for no reward, to teach for no reward, no thanks, no appreciation, no respect but merely to share.. because I have this, that is no more or less worthy perhaos than anything else and you asked.
And with this hard earned discipline, diligence, beginnings of focus and attention may it marry with other aspects of yoga, allow me to live ever more consciously within the yamas and niyamas, may I refine it in my pranayama, may it guide me inwards through pratyahara and may dhyana arise within me honed to keeness for the task to come.
The Canonization. John Donne
In ancient texts such as theShvetashvatara Upanishad, the term (Bhakti) simply means participation in, devotion, and love for any endeavor,
Wikipedia
"Love is Bhakti for them".
Krishnamachara
*
"Without the breath its just gymnastics, contortion, circus skills", what nonsense!
Prayer.
Give me the dedication of the gymnast, the devotion to the art of the contortionist but allow me with the yogi to take no interest in achievement, in how my asana looks, how I look, to see no difference between asana, to practice diligently for no reward, to teach for no reward, no thanks, no appreciation, no respect but merely to share.. because I have this, that is no more or less worthy perhaos than anything else and you asked.
And with this hard earned discipline, diligence, beginnings of focus and attention may it marry with other aspects of yoga, allow me to live ever more consciously within the yamas and niyamas, may I refine it in my pranayama, may it guide me inwards through pratyahara and may dhyana arise within me honed to keeness for the task to come.
Appendix.
The Canonization
For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love,
Or chide my palsy, or my gout,
My five gray hairs, or ruined fortune flout,
With wealth your state, your mind with arts improve,
Take you a course, get you a place,
Observe his honor, or his grace,
Or the king's real, or his stampèd face
Contemplate; what you will, approve,
So you will let me love.
Alas, alas, who's injured by my love?
What merchant's ships have my sighs drowned?
Who says my tears have overflowed his ground?
When did my colds a forward spring remove?
When did the heats which my veins fill
Add one more to the plaguy bill?
Soldiers find wars, and lawyers find out still
Litigious men, which quarrels move,
Though she and I do love.
Call us what you will, we are made such by love;
Call her one, me another fly,
We're tapers too, and at our own cost die,
And we in us find the eagle and the dove.
The phœnix riddle hath more wit
By us; we two being one, are it.
So, to one neutral thing both sexes fit.
We die and rise the same, and prove
Mysterious by this love.
We can die by it, if not live by love,
And if unfit for tombs and hearse
Our legend be, it will be fit for verse;
And if no piece of chronicle we prove,
We'll build in sonnets pretty rooms;
As well a well-wrought urn becomes
The greatest ashes, as half-acre tombs,
And by these hymns, all shall approve
Us canonized for Love.
And thus invoke us: "You, whom reverend love
Made one another's hermitage;
You, to whom love was peace, that now is rage;
Who did the whole world's soul contract, and drove
Into the glasses of your eyes
(So made such mirrors, and such spies,
That they did all to you epitomize)
Countries, towns, courts: beg from above
A pattern of your love!"