Having learned only a very specific set of asanas (postures) that prepares one's mind for transcending (going beyond) the thinking mind, I decided to put in some effort to deepen my 10-year-old yoga practice. Motivated to open up energy blockages in specific areas of my body, I chose to do some research on the subject. As I browsed the internet and magazines on the subject, I was astounded (and overwhelmed) by the amount of approaches there are to yoga these days. I understood I would need to spend a lot of time, money, and effort to find a suitable teacher, location, and approach to me.
It was only a couple of days later when an illuminating thought entered my mind: why not let the body have the control and let it move exactly the way it wants to move at a given time?! Inspired and excited by the thought, I quickly found myself in my yoga attire, ready to surrender to the moment. I could not believe the amount and depth of wisdom and creativity my body displayed as I went with what it felt like doing. Stretches and postures I had never seen or heard of (and affecting so many unknown corners of my body) kept developing like a gentle dance in which the plot was being made on the spot.
Deeply immersed and alertly curious, I paid attention to the minutest detail and sensation in my body and let it move (vs. move it) exactly to the direction it wanted. Deep relaxation and pleasantness entered my body and occasionally even my intuition felt like being cast aside, replaced by an increasing degree of bodily awareness. What a great moment that was to experience.
Afterwards, the occurrence gave birth to some contemplative reasoning. I had entered the experience without any set agenda or idea of what kind of postures I would be doing and for how long. Yet I felt I got exactly what I needed from the exercise. That suggests we already have within us all the tools and knowledge necessary to give us what we need at any given time. If true, this is very encouraging news, giving us greater hope about self-realization. Maybe it could also mean that if we are alert, disciplined, and careful enough to follow the wisdom of the body, there is less need for an external teacher, certain discipline, or set of postures.
Perhaps there is a need, perhaps there isn't. Maybe the truth of the matter changes as we progress. In the words of Swami Veda Bharati (as written in Yoga Journal 4/2004, p.53): "We are having to learn [spirituality] by prescription because we are not sensitive to whatever is natural to us. Once you recognize your authentic self, the whole yoga (union) practice comes to you. At that moment, we no longer need the system and can throw it away."