Once upon a time - Yoga: How did it change my existence and make me face with myself?

I want to start by saying that every moment or whenever we say “I wish” is a moment to be awaken. Yes, it is an opportunity to be awaken. To come to the present moment. I don’t prefer to say “I wish” anymore so maybe I can give a new way of thinking by sharing my thoughts.

How liberating it would be if we could (“I wish”) openly express our vulnerabilities, where saying "I'm afraid" is met with understanding and support rather than judgment. Or when you dare to be vulnerable someone or inner voice says “Yes, I have been there too or I have experienced what you experienced too. Or even you just want to hear, everything will be fine, don't worry.”

During my yoga teacher training, I discovered the intimacy of facing difficult emotions like fear of public speaking and insecurity or feeling disabled by comparing my physical limitations. I think I started experience ‘acceptance’. I began to accept myself. These feelings have always been present, but I no longer label myself as a failure or incompetent. Instead, I acknowledge my fears and insecurities as they arise.

When faced with challenges, I stop for a while and now awareness to say that, "I'm afraid," or "I don't trust," and I'm grateful for the supportive environment that allows me to do so. Because Yoga journey made me aware of this. Because I never gave a chance to calm down and observe myself before. I’ve never experienced stillness before. This journey has taught me self-compassion and gratitude towards myself. I am not also perfect at that part either but I am definitely doing better. But I have to mention that I never give up. Even after the darkest nights. As long as the creator is with me I will continue to create as a co-creator of my life.

Yoga has become my superpower, empowering me to navigate life's complexities with grace and resilience. I believe this transformative power extends to humanity at large. As we increasingly disconnect from ancient wisdom, our true nature, we find ourselves in a state of mass isolation, individualism seeking solace in virtual realities like the Metaverse, which often distort our perception of reality. What do I mean? As we spend more time online and less time connecting with traditional wisdom, nature we may feel more isolated. We might turn to virtual worlds like the Metaverse or AI for comfort, but they can sometimes make us lose touch with what's real. Being real is kind of luxury in our time.

My aspiration is to embrace the Eight Limbs of Yoga, reinforcing my inner strengths and aligning with my true nature. I may not know where this journey will lead my body, but as the ancient yogic text says (first yoga sutra), "Atha Yoga Anusasanam." It means ‘Now, Yoga’. This saying reminds us that yoga and its lessons are always accessible, whether we're doing the perfect pose or not. It's a relief to know that we can turn to yoga whenever we need it, whether we're feeling out of sorts or full of joy. Practicing yoga could mean doing physical poses on a mat, or it could mean sitting quietly and focusing on our breath. This might involve embracing one of the key moral principles of yoga, such as refraining from causing harm (ahimsa), cultivating kindness and compassion (maitri and karuna), or being truthful (satya).

My wish is to face life's challenges with equanimity, witnessing my thoughts and emotions without judgment. In doing so, I aim to find stability and ease in every moment, embodying the essence of yoga: "Sthiram Sukham Asanam." “Sthira” embodies strength, steadiness, and stability, while "sukha" signifies comfort, happiness, and relaxation. "Asanam" pertains to the physical aspect of yoga practice.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Namaste 🙏🌱

Istanbul, 2022

Yogatime

Me, My Desires and Approach to Yoga (at least for now)

I want to understand the other human forms from a Pancha Maya perspective on an intuitive level.

You might ask, 'What is the Pancha Maya perspective?' Don't worry; it's not some fancy, elusive term. Let me break it down for you using an onion analogy.

Let me explain by making you feel like an onion :)

Imagine you're like an onion, made up of several layers (Don't focus on the smell of the onion - leave your judgements behind - if you have any, for sure). Each layer represents a different part of you, from your physical body to your emotions and inner thoughts. In Yoga, these layers are called as 'Koshas,' and there are five of them altogether.

The first layer is your physical body, followed by your breath and energy, thoughts and emotions, wisdom, and joy and peace.

The Pancha Maya perspective helps us understand these layers and their interconnectedness. We can tune into each layer through Yoga and meditation, gaining deeper insights into ourselves. It's like peeling back the layers of an onion to discover what lies within.

Instead of focusing solely on one aspect of yourself, like your physical appearance or others' opinions of you, the Pancha Maya perspective encourages you to embrace the whole picture. Caring for all these different parts can lead to a happier and more balanced life.

In other words, I desire to create a practice by looking at who the other person is, their disease, how it was formed, how it affected the brain, and all these pieces. In other words, I want to offer applications that work with all different approaches to who the other person is or could be. I want to show that Yoga can transform us and awaken the infinite joy within us. Because according to my values or manners, what I can or should truly and merely share and offer is what I've experienced with my physical body or state of mind. Long in short, being joyful plays a key role in our life more than we think. There are no set protocols or rules for this. It is very individual, though. I say this because I've been there.

I am not a doctor, psychologist, etc., but as a Yoga teacher, I am trained to read body language - this is my understanding at least. As Gary Kraftsow mentions, people light up when they connect with something meaningful. It's like a clue; being a yoga teacher is like a treasure hunter. As Kraftsow inspired me, I want to follow the inner treasure of the ones with whoever my path crossed. Try to uncover it and help human forms connect with something that can give them a sense of joy.

After my whole system had collapsed, I started to ask myself what life truly was about. Why so serious? Where am I, and are we going? Why do you think you come to this beautiful Universe? Just a random reason? I don't think so.

However, I will see. We will see. Until this time, enJOY the ride as it is beautifully said in the Morcheeba's song:

With the moonlight to guide you

Feel the joy of being alive

The day that you stop running

Is the day that you arrive.

…….

Stop chasing shadows

Just enJOY the ride.

…….

Humanity, wake up!

We need each other.

We need harmony, joy, beauty and love.

Individualism does not take us to anywhere.

Let's go back to my purpose:) Are you still with me? Hopefully.

"Yoga is a much more spiritual practice than I thought," says Kraftsow. I totally agree with him. From the moment I became rooted or nonfunctional for a while due to my spine challenges, I was searching for a way to achieve an inner sense of serenity that was not tied to what was happening to my body. As Gökçe Gaia, this is exactly how I worked on relieving my pain by meditating regularly before my second surgery and continuing my life as a Wonder Woman with screws and plates on my spine. I am looking for inner serenity and to share this path of serenity when there is something beyond me and whoever is ready to receive this ancient wisdom. Yoga is not a physical activity for me. As you can see, I want to spread as many perspectives of yoga as I can.

I wish I could become a Yogini one day, ultimately.

Namaste

Life is just a matter of a present moment. I do whatever my heart wants, desire or crave anymore.

It all begins with an inner calling. I've moved beyond overthinking and perfectionism, empowering myself to take action—finally, after seven years or maybe more. Procrastination is not a good path - it never brings abundance or prosperity. Life is fleeting, and this vast universe is incredibly beautiful. There's no time to hesitate, wait for approval, or seek validation from others.

I remind myself that each moment offers a chance to evolve, to become a new version of myself more aligned with the cosmos and my path.

While I don't rush, there's an urgency within me to spread love, kindness, and light (LKL) to all creations—even those beyond our five senses.

It is time to share my light with whoever needs it. However, I would like to warn you, a dear reader, that I am a ('perfect') combination of Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini and Cancer zodiac signs according to the Astrology shaped by the Sun and a mixture of Taurus, Sagittarius, Gemini and Cancer according to Vedic (the Moon) astrology. Thus, don't expect me to write just one piece of content; be specific. I will try my best. I promise. But!… Do you know what giraffes respond when asked why they have a crooked neck? 'I'm tired of the society's unrealistic beauty standards.' It is what it is. Enjoy!