It seems today that nearly everywhere we look someone or something is telling us what to do, how to dress, how to act, where to go, and even what to think and feel. We are so bombarded with outside stimuli that it becomes an effort to distinguish between what are our own thoughts, needs and wants and what are not.
Yoga helps us to listen beyond the obvious. It shows us how to listen to the subtlety that lies behind. We then begin to notice the co-existence of subtle and gross. It is then that we can make choices between the two. Choices like whether we actually want to buy that dress, new car, or holiday or whether we really want to stay in that relationship or job . It also gives us insight into our motivation as to why we want these things? The real reasons that lie behind our actions.
My husband Stephen Phillips, a Chinese medical practitioner and Coach once said (and I paraphrase) that the truth is found in the heart but until we are able to hear beyond the shouting of the liver we will never hear its whisperings. In Chinese medicine the liver is seen as the Army General, yelling commands and telling everyone what to do. The heart is seen as the Emperor, wise and true, who sits quietly with all the authority of God on earth.
Yoga practices teach us to hear the whisperings and really listen to the messages of our heart.