Camille's Yoga Blogspot

   Here in the West, I think that yoga is partially taught as a spiritual practice. I think that here in the West, yoga is more branded as a physical practice, however, there are also definitely a population of people who also practice the spiritual aspect of yoga. There are definitely a lot of yogis/ teachers in the West who adapts the Eastern practices, but just choose what they want to practice and advertise to their followers. Yogis in the East have this such deep and immense connection with themselves, and this spiritual practice is a part of their lifestyle. They devote themselves to finding this inward and powerful connection, which can take years or a lifetime. In fact, they even have a mentor, and "shadow" them to really understand the meaning behind it.       I feel that the Western practice of yoga takes the marketable aspects of it, such as giving all these benefits you will get out of it. Whenever I do follow videos on youtube, I tend to hear t...

      The body has a number of roles. It can be used to manipulate an individuals energies and emotions, in order to get the experience/feeling one wants out of it. An individual has the power to strengthen their awareness and concentration, as well as their perception on whatever they desire. Further, t he body gives us the ability to have experiences that our mind is not capable providing for us. Our bodies allows  us to have this physical experience for our souls.      Y oga and meditation are just a few examples that enhances our body. Both y oga and meditation allows us to have a stronger and more powerful connection with ourselves, as well us giving us the ability to connect with a higher power. I n spiritual practices, the body is viewed as this vessel that provides a place for our souls to manifest to an individual.  The practice of yoga shows us these powerful movements, which provides this vessel the ultimate divine experience....

     Yoga is most definitely viewed as a form of meditation in my practice space. It is a way to put my to do lists and stressors aside for just a few minutes and feel a sense of serenity. It helps me focus on the present and increase my self awareness. Since the semester began, I got into the habit of meditating after daily workouts and/or yoga practices. I enjoy doing this because since my heart rate is up during the exercises, it helps me relax and bring my heart rate back to normal. Further, o n top of my daily exercises, meditating is a great way to start my day, as it helps me look at my stressful situations in a new light and not so much in a negative way. Sometimes, as soon as I wake up, I am already stressing about all the tasks I have to complete for the day so meditating has genuinely helped me look at my tasks in a positive way, which lessens my stress. I think it is so important to take just a few minutes to yourself and have a sense of self awareness which c...

Camille Velez       For yoga, there is no one actual definition of yoga. The definition can vary, depending on the environment an individual is in. In the west, the definition of yoga is extremely different from the east. Here in the west, yoga is considered to be more beneficial in the physical aspect, and is viewed as a method of exercise. On the other hand, in the east, it has a deeper meaning. Yoga is considered to be away to connect with your higher self and gain a better understanding of your own body. Yoga in the west is more of a spiritual lifestyle which can take years, or even a lifetime. In addition, the practice space can vary too. Furthermore, w hen it comes to defining yoga within the practice space, it also varies. In the west, it is very common to go to yoga studio weekly and take classes with people. On the other hand, in India for instance (based on the Enlightened Up film), an individual who seeks more will have a one on one relationship with ...

  Due :     Weekly Practice Journals: Theme: Yoga as a Lifestyle & Culture - Y oga has made a transition from "traditional culture" to "counter culture" to "pop culture" here in the West. What have you observed about yoga that firmly establishes it as "pop culture"? What has been the effect on yoga in the West?  (minimum 3 paragraphs)     I think that there are a number of factors to how yoga has made a transition from "traditional culture" to "counter culture" then to "pop culture" here in the West. Most especially here in America, there are so many beauty standards in society, and a certain image or look that people "should" achieve or have. Further, there are so many products out on the market that supposedly will help you lose weight and give you the body you desire. In todays health culture, there are more and more ways of exercising, such as soul cycle, zumba, etc.  Because of all these new health...

    Yoga is seen as a healing practice in my practice space. I make sure that my environment makes me feel as calm as possible, so that I am relaxed throughout my whole practice. As mentioned in a previous journal entry, there are various factors to create this calm and serene place. Some of these factors include, a clean/organized environment, fresh air, a candle or incense burning, etc. Relaxation is extremely important, as it is a great way to relieve any stress and tensions from the body, so it makes sense that people treat and view yoga as medicine. The importance of breathing during yoga is just as important, so the benefits of yoga can truly have healing properties on an individual. There are various benefits of yoga, so I personally view it as a healing practice.      With almost all of the yoga practices I have participated in through zoom or have watched online via youtube, the teacher/ instructor would express the importance of each move and explain t...