I’d like to introduce you to my sister Brenda McMahon. She is a ceramic artist (potter), a certified yoga instructor and one of my most favorite people in the world. I have learned so much from Brenda and have invited her to share with you the ‘off the mat’ philosophy behind yoga which I believe is so in line with the coaching that I do.
An Introduction to Yoga
Guest Post by Brenda McMahon
I have been a Yogi for more than 12 years and I still remember the day I signed up for my first class. A frozen rotator cuff sent shooting pains through my neck and down my back, almost debilitating my main job description, lifting heavy items in and out of my truck.
You see I’m a ceramic artist and I work with 50lb boxes of clay all the time. Though I live a creative life, I lift, wedge, move and haul my artwork all over the studio and then the country. Not being able to lift anything above my waist was not working for me. And so I sifted through the yellow pages in Saratoga Springs, NY and found my first teacher, Judy Wyle with The Joy of Yoga. Thus began my 12-year journey into my second love – yoga.
Literally translated, yoga means, “to join”. The practice of yoga is a unification of body, mind & breath. It is an ancient practical aid designed to bring emotional stability & clarity of mind. It is not a religion. And despite what people think, ANYONE can do yoga.
The main tenant of yoga is to receive yourself where you are in this moment; not where you used to be or where you want to be. And so, if you’re not in shape or you smoke or you can’t put your leg behind your head, don’t worry, most of us can’t – but more importantly, you don’t have to!
In fact, receiving yourself where you are is the lynchpin that connects the physical practice of yoga with the ‘other’ practices of yoga, most of which are unknown. Yoga, as it happens, is made up of 8 limbs or practices that include meditation & breath-work; the physical practice we are all familiar with is called Asana. It is not yoga; rather it is a part of the greater yoga practice.
The other huge part of the yoga practice is what is known as the Yama’s & Niyama’s or the 10-commandments & moral principles of yoga. What I love about yoga is I can practice on the mat but I can also practice while driving, working or waiting in line by consciously incorporating the Yamas & Niyamas.
Within 3 months of signing up for my first class I had full arm rotation and within a year I was completely healed. The physical practice healed my body, but what opened up beyond that changed my life.
Through the breath-work and conscious attention of my classes, I entered a passageway, of sorts, a corridor to an awareness that deeper freedom was in reach. Without breath, we have no life. Yoga is a slowing down of the mind through a physical discipline of the body, guided by the breath. The opening on the other side of that practice is a glimpse of our inner presence, our spirit; it is the inner knowing of who we truly are.
There are 10 Yamas & Niyamas or principles of yoga. They are good guidelines for which to notice ‘where you are’ and what you’re thinking in this moment. The old saying, peace begins at home, is true. If you are not at peace within, the world will never be at peace. It is up to each of us to take responsibility for the only thing we truly can take responsibility for – ourselves.
A few years ago, while involved in a 6-month yoga teacher-training program, I began studying the Yama’s & Niyamas. It so happens my dad had also just been diagnosed with cancer. This threw me into an intense year of dealing with illness, his bipolar wife and ultimately, loss. I always say the Yama’s & Niyamas were my lifeboat through that process.
Life is about transition. Like the seasons, we experience constant birth & death. It is said the tripod of ones’ life is job, home and relationship. When any one of those 3 feet is uprooted we feel unstable. When 2 or more are uncertain we move into fear. Divorce often knocks 2 and sometimes 3 of those anchors and that is one of the many reasons it is so difficult.
When we feel panicked, we breathe. When we need to release energy, often physical activity such as a walk or run helps. When our mind goes awry we think healthier thoughts or turn to meditation. But in between all that, each minute of each hour, we have an opportunity to do our yoga in the form of these basic yoga principles – the Yamas & Niyamas.
And so, I welcome you to take the journey with me to explore the 10 commandments of Yoga. Consider them guideposts on this hike of self-awareness and personal development. After downward dog and child’s pose is the every minute of every day of the Yamas & Niyamas.
The first one is simple, Ahimsa: kindness to yourself first & foremost and from that, kindness to those around you. During each of these 10 posts, I’ll share and explore one Yama & Niyama at a time. Next week we’ll open up the principle of Ahimsa and see how it relates to our everyday life.
To access the entire 12 Part Series, click here
Brenda McMahon is a full-time Ceramic Artist traveling nationally & internationally showing her artwork and teaching clay workshops. She creates meditative porcelain vessels and Yoga Oms in her private studio. Brenda is a passionate student of metaphysics and has been a Yogi for 10 years.
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