I have heard several times Master Miao Tsan when he says: "A flexible mind involves a flexible body,

but a flexible body does not necessarily imply a flexible mind."

 

One of the greatest teachings of Master Miao Tsan that have proven an efficient impact in my life, is that everything we do in our lives must have a direction, a goal. Today I am convinced that this goal is to realise my true nature, my primordial being. When I practice yoga, what is the purpose of my yoga practice? If I'm honest there's a part of me that does it for cultivating the physical body and I think this is correct as it is important that I take care of this temple that is my physical body but also I must  be careful not to attach to the practice of yoga by limiting it only to the cultivation of the physical body. Under this conditions, even if I could achieve flexibility in my physical body , my practice would become very shallow and not the tool that allows me to contact with my true essence. The practice of yoga has many benefits only if I reach the right practice, otherwise I run the risk of falling into the dualistic concept of existence and get lost in the forms or the phenomena or whatever is already created by my mind.

 

It is said that yoga is a meditation in movement and although through out the practice I am purifying my organs in each posture and calming my mind by being  fully aware of my breathing and paying attention to teacher's instruction, I think that the practice of yoga prepares me for entering into a much deeper meditative state during my practice of sitting meditation.

 

No doubt that the practice of yoga is giving me already, an indication of my mental state, Am I doing the right effort? Do I have the correct understanding about yoga? Do I have the proper guidance? I must not forget today that where my physical body is, that's where my mind is and where my mind is , that's where the manifestation of my body occurs.  I have the ability that from my posture or asana I can trace back to the source that created that asana or posture and therein lies the true meaning of my Yoga practice, the meaning of my life. Also I have noticed that the way I conduct my practice is the way I conduct my day to day life.

 

This physical body is temporary, ruled by the principle of Impermanence, and certainly, I can nurture my body, train it, feed it with proper meals, in other words, I may perform a right cultivation of my physical body but always keeping in mind that I am not this physical body, which is no more and no less than a tool manifested by the creation of my mind. Granted, my physical body is playing a leading role in this human realm,  although the true flexibility is in my mind.

 

If I bear in mind this concepts that I have learnt from my Zen Master Miao Tsan and apply them into my yoga practice and my daily activities, I can improve the quality of my life.

 

So practice to make it practical, Master says....