Yoga Sutras

My husband insists that yoga is "nothing but stretching". I knew there had to be a little more to it than just stretching, but before I started this course I mostly agreed with his opinion. In fact, that's the main reason I decided to take this class. I hoped to incorporate stretching into more of a routine for me so that my flexibility would improve. In just three short weeks I have learned that there truly is much more to yoga than bending and stretching: it's a lifestyle. When we first discussed the Yoga Sutras in class I wasn't entirely sure what to make of them. But reading further into them I have discovered how much yoga has to offer a person. Comparable to the Ten Commandments I was raised to follow, the Yamas teach selflessness and responsibility. Applying this to real life is much easier said than done, but definitely a goal to be set and taken seriously. I don't consider myself a bad person, and I'm certainly not perfect either. I don't make a habit of lying, but it would be a lie for me to say that everything I've ever said was one hundred percent truth. I stole a candy bar from a grocery store when I was a kid. I learned my lesson then and haven't stolen since. I consider morals to be the foundation to a solid and happy life. There is so much controversy these days regarding religion and what is right and wrong. I am a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ. Each religion has its own do's and don'ts, but you don't have to be of a certain spiritual-mindedness to learn the art of yoga. It's refreshing to find that yoga goes beyond lessons of physical well being to teach morality and ethical conduct. My priority in this class still remains the same - to refine my flexibility. But I have been reminded of my roots, of my foundation of morals. I aim to continue yoga and work towards achieving the universal morality it