I commit myself to practicing yoga exercises diligently, seven days a week. However, I do not seek to "crush" each day's practice. Four days are dedicated to intense effort, while the remaining three are approached with moderate intensity, considering my own capabilities.
I strive to frame all physical activities as "yoga" exercises, aiming to connect my breath with movement throughout the day. Admittedly, there are moments when I forget, but I persist in my efforts. Perhaps one day, I will harmonize every breath throughout an entire 18-hour cycle. Yet, I hold no pressure or expectation.
Throughout my encounters with fellow yoga practitioners, I have come across various interpretations that categorize yoga into different limbs. Such evolving understanding is acceptable over time. However, as we advance in our yoga journey, we realize that yoga is a unified practice. It involves engaging with integrity, compassion, and present-moment awareness. Yoga is the achievement of diverting the mind from suffering, attachments, and the pursuit of conquest.
By learning challenging, coordinated physical movements in a sequenced manner, we cultivate character and gain insights into profound concepts of compassion. Controversial as it may be, to truly comprehend compassion, we need to nurture our intelligence. For I believe that compassion is not a sentiment accessible to unintelligent beings.