The meaning of Yoga from International Yoga Instructor Paola Reznik
The meaning of Yoga from International Yoga InstructorPaola Reznik
International Hatha Yoga instructor Paola Reznik has been all over the world practicing and teaching her passion. Originally from Buenos Aires Argentina we’ve encountered very few yoga instructors as passionate about life, love and family and we feel extremely fortunate to have Paola Reznik on the Sky Yoga and Pilates Team. Between her numerous classes we had a chance to interview Paola Reznik about what yoga is to her and what the practice means to her life. This is what she shared with us.
Hi Paola! What is yoga to you exactly?
All human beings are all distinct but one thing we have in common is the desire and need to be happy. This is why we need and must practice yoga.
Yoga is the search of that eternal inner happiness. When we search for that happiness externally it usually has some sort expiration or shelf-life, but if we look within ourselves we can find genuine happiness by targeting and addressing our emotions and experiences directly. The question is are we living for these fleeting happy moments or can we live in a constant state of happiness?
Does yoga come easy for you?
No it’s not easy at all. In actuality yoga is a constant search of self-knowledge where everything is not always pleasant but can be seen as a good platform to begin your life-long exploitative journey. All beings without exception have emotions, attitudes, thoughts, desires and actions and we need to undergo this journey in order to have a better relationship with ourselves and with others.
What have you found in your yoga practice?
Personally I have found in Yoga a philosophy of life, a fundamental tool for studying myself. It is for that reason that yoga is so important in my life. I feel great happiness in being able to share that with my clients. Sharing experiences and knowledge spreads positivity and quality of life.Yoga is a personal journey of self discovery as well as a lesson of how we as humans should be communicating with each other.
Why then is the physical form of yoga so important?
Yoga is aimed to achieve perfect coordination between the various bodily functions so that they work for the welfare of all and all beings. The meaning of Yoga is union. Union of a physical, mental, emotional and the energetic body, and the union of oneself with the whole universe. This unification is what will give us results in the management of our self-vehicle.
The techniques we learn on our personal journey are breathing techniques, meditation, relaxation, visualization and concentration to cultivate personal awareness. It is also important that the physical body is healthy and balanced to perform the aforementioned techniques by using various postures. We use these postures to elongate, strengthen, energize and oxygenate the body releasing physical and mental stress to influence the mind. This gives us balance in our organs, muscles nerves and an overall harmony in our mind-body connection.
What else would you say we learn from yoga besides the achievement of mind-body balance?
We also use the ethical and moral values of yoga when we interact with our friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, teachers, students, parents and children. There’s an even exchange of learning and teaching as we communicate to each other.
Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh explained yoga as integration and harmony between thoughts, words, and actions, or between the head, heart and hands.
What are the main ingredients or processes we need to find balance and inner happiness?
To start with this path of self-knowledge that leads us to a “state” of happiness, we need a number of ingredients.
* Sit and connect with your breath
* Sit and listen to your body to enjoy it without pain
* Sit and cater to your needs and constraints without judging but with humility.
* Feel that you are one with yourself
* Feel that you are part of the whole
Feel, beware, love yourself, respect yourself, listen to yourself and do the same with others …
Thank you Paola Reznik for sharing what Yoga means to you!
Namaste
