WHo Are YOU ?

If you have been following this blog you may have come across the idea of 'not knowing' who you really are.

If we can see ourselves as conditioned beings, that is conditioned by our life experiences and shaped by them, then we have to ask at some point, Is this it, is this who we are?

Robert Bly the poet proposed the theory that when we are born we are 360 degrees of living feeling human being. As we start to grow and become educated (brainwashed) we start to conform to the rules and regulations of whatever particular society rules we live in. So we begin to regulate our feelings and behaviour as it may not be ok for you to show too strong emotions around the place, we suppress and control ourselves until it becomes 'normal' for us to behave that way, we are now conditioned by events and places.

According to this theory by the time we reach 21 we have shut so much of ourselves away that we only show about 20% of ourselves to the public, the other 80% is shut away. According to the poet Bly we put all of this stuff into a bag and drag it behind us as the unconscious.

He goes on to say that at certain points along the way events happen to us which may shock us into waking up, the death of a loved one, or a serious life threatening illness, a divorce etc are examples of times when we may question the way we live our lives. It is at these times that we may start to do something like yoga, as a way of giving some meaning to our lives. We may then start to look into this big bag we are carrying around and take some of it out. The more we take out the lighter the bag and the more whole we become again.

Yoga is also definitely something that can be used for the 'wrong' reasons. I think I have mentioned before that you could just add it to the list of addictions/habits that you already use in another attempt to make yourself feel better, along with drinking and smoking. Rushing into a class at the last minute and rushing out again! We feel better for a while then we have to go back and do it all over again, very tiring in the long run.

Unless Yoga is done the 'right' way it can be counter-productive to your well-being. (My opinion).

So what do I know you might ask? Well I am someone that is incredibly thick and I have made all the mistakes you could possibly make when it comes to yoga and everything else. But it seems that with my background I have managed to live through my mistakes so far. At times along the way a trip to the doctors to ask for some valium seemed like a very good plan, but I persisted and continued with my practise and am reasonably happy with my state of affairs today, to say the least!

I have no idea I must admit, as to what makes one person feel happy with one class per week and another who needs five. You do what you can I guess, until you see the value of something and then maybe you make it a priority.

So Who you are is really determined not by what you have done in the past but what you are (consciously) doing now. How are you shaping up? Are you happy with your progress? ARe you getting anywhere?

Om :)