4c. Connecting to Culture
Many of yoga’s foundations and techniques mirror the beliefs of Native American culture. These comparisons were explained by Navajo spiritual leader and yogi, Tony Redhouse.
Tap or hover over the images below to learn more.
The practice of yoga was a means to achieve personal inner balance.
Native American culture believes our purpose is for our hearts to beat in unison and harmony with the heart that beats in every animal, tree, bird, star, and rock in the universe.
In yoga, our movement and heartbeat comes in line with our breath.
• Native American wisdom tells us that breath is our individual soul and the heartbeat is the life force.
• We heal and become one when we connect our breath with our heartbeat.
• We heal and become one when we connect our breath with our heartbeat.
Even in yoga, we experience the imbalance within ourselves, and tend to focus too much on athleticism and competition.
To have a true balance within, we must allow ourselves to become vulnerable, receptive, and contemplative.