Paleo Magazine Express May 2015 | Page 14

W H EN Y O U TH IN K O F Y O G A , you probably think of the
photos you see of people doing handstands and other crazy
poses that either scare you to death or make you completely
motivated to give that powerful pose a try.
But either way, yoga is more. The poses you see are simply
one part of the eightfold yoga path to enlightenment. Ancient
yogis wanted to be enlightened. They wanted to know what
created life and to feel united with that source. So they came
up with a way of living that they believed would help them to
achieve this union and enlightenment.
Briefly, here are the eight elements of the yoga path to
enlightenment (with the Sanskrit word and what it translates to
in English).

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© CAN STOCK PHOTO INC. / KVKIRILLOV

yamas
Morals and ethics

10
WAYS

YOGA
HELPS
YOU

DROP
YOUR

EGO

14 May 2015 eNewsletter

niyamas
Personal observances and ways of behavior
asanas
Yoga poses

pranayama
Breath control

pratyahara
Control of your self, senses and desires

dharana
Concentration (focus) and cultivating self-awareness
dhyana
Meditation on the Divine self (holy spirit) within
samadhi
To become one (merge) with the Divine

Modern-day science has confirmed the yogis knew what they
were doing when it comes to the calming of the mind and body
and finding inner peace. Neuroscientists have found that the
brains of yogis who meditate actually look different in structure
than those of non-meditators. The areas of the brain that
process sight, sound, touch and feelings have been found to be
more developed in yogis.
Many spiritual texts say that we are God in human form. We
have an ego that lives in us, but we also have a universal life
force that lives within us all. When we begin the yoga path, we
begin to unveil our true nature—this oneness that we all share.
It’s easy when you’re at the top of your fitness game to get
caught up in an ego mindset. But when you’re that high up with
a huge ego, there’s only one place to go, and that is down.
Some top-performing athletes are very humble and live from
this place of union with others—a place of feeling connected to
all individuals regardless of status or skill. Much of this attitude
depends on your circle of friends, your upbringing and what you
choose to focus on. To keep your ego in check and connect to