Real Yoga Essay

Improved Essays
Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk: Transformational Adventures in India
Real yoga is about transformation. http://www.yoganonymous.com/how-yoga-helped-one-man-move-past-addiction It’s not about mastering the Ashtanga intermediate series, or holding pincha mayurasana. While not simple, true transformation may be even harder to grasp. If you’re in limbo, you may need to follow the footsteps of rishis, in India, to seed your metamorphosis.
I’ve been practicing yoga for 40 years, but I didn’t get my kick in the pants until I retreated to an ashram. Each visit, my transformation intensifies. The first stay cured me of a coffee habit. While that may seem minor, the mindset behind giving up the caffeine was major. It manifested in many different ways, and continued to unfold as my back bends and breathing deepened.
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I quit my corporate job of 14 years, and stood firm in my commitment to do good in the world, rather than bust my *%#$ for a paycheck.
India is magical. The impact of a trip to India is nothing like going on a ski trip, or to the Caribbean.
From the time I was an adolescent, my eyes absorbed the colors, dress, sounds, and culture from India. When I finally headed to the land of Krishna and Buddha, I did it solo. I trekked from Chennai, through Kerala, up to Goa and Mumbai, eating 50-cent meals from diners where no one spoke English. I tried to blend in despite my bright red backpack and blue eyes.
A month in the South left me longing for more. Last year, I wrote about people I know that shepherd life-changing journeys to India. http://thenamastecounsel.com/spiritual-india-land-to-eat-pray-love/ Among the leaders was a fellow yoga therapist from Austin,

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