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What draws new people to a yoga class? Perhaps it is the perception that it can be a gentle form of exercise, or maybe it is the opportunity to try a creative approach to body movement .
What keeps people coming back for more? Possibly it is the gain in firsthand knowledge of oneself: more body awareness, more mental alertness, more peace of mind, more energy, more living in the present moment, more agility, more joy.
What encourages people to dig even deeper into the meaning of the yoga poses? Maybe it is the enticing discovery that the postures are a form of symbolism named after geometric forms (triangle), animals (scorpion), birds (eagle), things (boat) and body positions (forward bend). Some practitioners become eager to explore the symbolism of an asana in order to gain a deeper understanding of what is happening in their mind and body and how the two affect one another. Take for example the eagle. It has superior vision, is not blinded by looking into the sun, uses storms to achieve greater heights, is fierce and strong, sees its prey (goal) from afar and with total concentration and presence strikes swiftly and accurately, makes a nest in cooperation with its mate, throws the eaglets out of the nest and catches them on its wings until they can fly and is careful about what it eats.
While practicing the posture, students can consider these characteristics and what message the eagle as a symbol might have for them. Maybe they do not yet feel the power of an eagle in their mind and body when they attempt to balance on one foot, their arms and legs wrapped around each other like a pretzel. Maybe they discover that even though they don't have the physical strength or concentration to hold the pose now, they will be able to do so once they have developed strength of mind in the form of focus and determination.
Thus, the symbolism in the asanas can offer a different approach for self-observation. It's not for everyone. Some students are quite satisfied with working on the physical benefits alone, and that's quite acceptable. For those who would like to investigate other dimensions of yoga, the opportunity is there.
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