| India is the birthplace of Yoga. The philosophy and | | | | imply that one pessimist can change the mood of a |
| science of Yoga has always been a mystery to most | | | | whole room full of optimists. Yet, the truth is - a little |
| people. Over the past few centuries, many different | | | | negative or positive energy can change the mood of |
| Yogic techniques have captured the interest of | | | | an entire room. The reason this happens is that most |
| scientific and medical research, outside of India. The | | | | people are in reactive mode and can be easily |
| mystery is based upon why the results of research | | | | swayed in either direction. |
| have consistently been so positive. | | | | During Yoga teacher training, we have been taught the |
| Not long ago, the Yogic concept of prana (energy), | | | | value of mantra, meditation, pranayama, asana, and |
| being everywhere, was ridiculed. Yet, we now realize | | | | many more techniques. These are valuable in practice, |
| energy is everywhere at the atomic level. Now is a | | | | but we have to carry them with us. It is easy to |
| time when humankind is desperately looking for clean | | | | breathe correctly, train the mind, and sit up or stand |
| energy, in every possible form, as an alternative to | | | | straight, if we practice internal discipline. |
| fossil fuels. | | | | The world around you does not need to know your |
| As a result, we have begun to open our collective | | | | personal mantra, your affirmations for cultivating |
| consciousness toward the realization that energy | | | | positive energy, or that you practice Yoga all day long. |
| exists, whether it is visible or not. Black holes that | | | | If you can control your breathing in stressful situations, |
| make star systems disappear are invisible, but | | | | you are likely to be able to control your mind, as well. If |
| something is drawing stars into black holes by using a | | | | you practice good posture throughout the day, your |
| form of gravity. | | | | muscles and skeleton will be relaxed and aligned. |
| There is also an invisible form of energy we can feel | | | | Practicing Yoga, throughout the entire day, gives you |
| when we are in social situations. Within the human | | | | energy and helps the people who come into contact |
| mind, positive energy (optimism) has always existed | | | | with you. The consistent practice of Yoga creates a |
| beside negative energy (pessimism). There are | | | | positive energy field that you carry with you at all |
| debates as to which form is stronger. | | | | times. |
| The saying, "One bad apple spoils the bunch," would | | | | |