This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

The Stories of Yoga

Most people think of yoga as the bendy, stretchy stuff that happens on a yoga mat. Or perhaps yoga brings images of tofu, vegetarians, a hermit seated for meditation--in the perfect lotus position, naturally--atop some remote mountain peak. Or maybe it makes us think of Madonna's biceps.

But I love the myths of yoga best. After all, who doesn't love a good story? “Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact,” says Robert McKee. Isn't that why novels, television shows and movies reign supreme as modern forms of entertainment? We humans are narrative beings.

So it's no surprise that in the yoga traditions the wisdom of the ages is handed down through myths. Heroes and heroines, gods and goddesses--teach us truths not in the form of literal facts but as deliberate lies that begin, "Once upon a time..."

In mythic consciousness--which we enter every time we tell or are told a story--each character or deity represents some aspect of humanity, nature, or the world in which we live. Every character acts as a shard of broken mirror--offering up a very particular glimpse of a very particular truth.

The stories of the gods and goddesses, and heroes and heroines, touch us on a primal level. Their stories are our own stories--and they are chock full o' practical life tools. If we learn how to decode them, yoga stories become instruction manuals for living.

When life gets crazy--which it seems to do more often than not--I often find myself asking, "What would my favorite heroine do if she were in this situation?" Over the years, the legendary champions of yoga have inspired me to be courageous when I'm scared, to navigate challenging situations with greater awareness and skill, and to learn how to draw upon my own intrinsic, renewable resources.

In addition to their many educational aspects, though--stories are just plain fun. Come get your story on.

On May 4th-5th, world renowned scholar, and yogi, Douglas Brooks [http://rajanaka.com/] will visit Elements Yoga & Wellness Center [http://www.elementsyoga.com/]. He will tell stories of three goddesses who are aren't just fundamental to an understanding of yoga--but to our very understanding of life. Join us for a weekend that combines bendy, stretchy yoga with the stories of yoga.

Register HERE [https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=13635].

Bernadette Birney has taught yoga for over a decade, and is also a writer and a life coach. Bernadette is a teacher’s teacher who is known for telling it like it is, humor, and the occasional profanity. She has contributed to Yoga Journal, Origin Magazine, Elephant Journal, and is the author of a quirky, award-winning blog. She balances a full local and traveling teaching schedule. Cyberstalk her at www.bernadettebirney.com.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?