So many people start yoga these days …
A question came to my mind: (good old devil never sleeps) are there anyone who finished-finishes yoga ? 
New beginnings are beautiful, full of hope. What does the end look like ?
Just a thought. 
(trendy since tubeseeker)
Hi Hubert. Now THAT’s a good question…What does the end look like and has anyone here “finished?” What can we expect to find? And if we get “there,” where are we or what is it? What do we do after that? Based on my beginner’s limited understanding, the end is something like nirvana or bliss or being one or…or…? I certainly don’t know, and I don’t even know what those words really mean yet, so I’ll just guess. I think that you probably never finish. There’s not an end “goal” although I suppose death might stop something (or maybe not?). I’m actually not too interested in knowing what’s out there, because at the moment, I’m really enjoying the process. I like trying to keep my thoughts flexible (although my ego works very hard to prevent this) and to keep my mind open to whatever possibilities arise (an easier task for me). All this searching and reading and questioning and discovering feels very creative. I’ve learned (from Pema Chodron) that this “middle ground” IS enlightenment and is a good place to stay because this is where realization happens. Before, I always thought that enlightenment is something you get at the end of this journey. Like…“I did everything I was supposed to do and now hand over my enlightenment reward.” That’s an awkward way to say it, but…you know.
We all enter the world screaming and yelling and I would hate to arrive at the end with that same “bad attitude”. Ha. At my (old) age and with this late yoga start, I’d be happy to just turn my negativity around and to be a happier person. If I have any “goal” at all, it’s just to exit this world as peacefully as I can. And that’s an ending full of hope.
So with that being said…PEACE to all of us…and “Marry” Christmas, too.
in my experience we enter yoga as s journey to union, with self, with the divine, with everyone and everything, something like that. we do disciplines, meditation, postures, pranayama, etc… so what does the end look like, I believe it is when we transceend the need for puttin aside any time or thought for centering because we are centered, our time is no longer spent in comtemplation, meditatioin, but rather just doing or just being, at one with the present moment with total peace. Who has reached this end, which is only another beginning? maybe budha, jesus, or people such as that. I cannot say for sure because I have not met them, maybe one day I will, maybe one day i will reach this state, I believe I will and I believe many of us, especially you hubert, have this capacity. See you there folks
seeker
ps. I do not see that as a develish question, your words have been much more divine then you realize hubert
Like an endless vacation. All inclusive:-)
[QUOTE=Hubert;8569]So many people start yoga these days …
A question came to my mind: (good old devil never sleeps) are there anyone who finished-finishes yoga ?
New beginnings are beautiful, full of hope. What does the end look like ?
Just a thought.
(trendy since tubeseeker)[/QUOTE]
Probably when we reach the state of ?Turiya? we are done with yoga. Although it is difficult to describe it in absolute since I haven?t experienced it personally but since many have ?finished doing yoga? they have shared their experiences in Vedas & Upanishads. My understanding of Turiya is, it is the state we reach after realising who we really are. That is we may enter Yoga as a father, mother, a brother a businessman, whatever but when we reach the state of turiya we have realised who we really are & we don?t recognise ourselves as what we were prior to beginning our journey & attaining this state. In this state our body is turned into a ‘Turiya Sharira’ and this is the body that lets us experience the union with god & pure consciousness & ananda. At this stage there is stoppage of any changes, we can’t be interrupted.
But all this depends on what brought you to yoga ?
Hay, PatR, you hit the nail on it’s head. I put this question mostly as a jest.
But the question why did I (or others) start yoga is very important.
A sickly condition, suffering, pain, in body, soul or mind, these are often causes of a strating yoga practice.
What happens when the cause is eliminated ? What happens when the pain stops ?
JezHeath told me that I am attached to pain … and it might be so, as I am afarid, without it, I’ll lose motivation.
But the pain did lessen a lot. My practice also calmed down. No more daily several hours of asana, study, or nada yoga. Reduced post frequency here.
And still … a lot more warmth in the heart area. A lot less stress, and struggle. Turning the wheel of my heart becomes easier every day.
hubert, patanjali talks about pain in sutra 2,1 as being very necessary
[quote=tubeseeker;8573] maybe one day i will reach this state, I believe I will and I believe many of us, especially you hubert, have this capacity. See you there folks
seeker
[/quote]
I’ll see you when you get there … isn’t that one of Coolio’s hit ?
Artist’s are todays prophets. 
I am constantly amazed how art can give very deep and brief answers and insight.
Thank you for your trust and encouragment. I’d say the only capacity we need is to open our heart and surrender to Grace. But to learn this we have to go the hard way, through trial and error, guided by faith, hindered by fate, experiencing, learning, applying, succeding, failing, until … but you know it, or if not, you will.
Hey, this sounds great !
Women, why must they be always right …
[QUOTE=Hubert;8582]Hey, this sounds great !
Women, why must they be always right …[/QUOTE]
HA, HA, well that would be a very nice illusion
Yesterday I read a nice article and I would like to quote from it:
"Through hard work to the heights."
We have to strengthen our friendship with two divine friends of ours: aspiration and patience. With aspiration and patience eventually we shall reach God’s transcendental Height.
Today Self discovery is our Goal. Tomorrow God-manifestation will be our Goal. Today let us dive deep within for God realisation. Tomorrow we shall dive deeper for God manifestation, which is ever transcending, eternal Art.
I think it is a lot of grace in patience…
So I wish you dear Hubert and all of us a lot of aspiration and patience in the coming year!
[quote=Mirjana;8592]HA, HA, well that would be a very nice illusion
Yesterday I read a nice article and I would like to quote from it:
“Through hard work to the heights.”
… Tomorrow God-manifestation will be our Goal. Today let us dive deep within for God realisation. Tomorrow we shall dive deeper for God manifestation, which is ever transcending, eternal Art.
…
[/quote]
so what do us humanists be doin? I guess we just be sittin around on our hands… :eek:
Even humanism has aspirations, they are specifically mentioned as such in e.g. the Humanist Manifesto; so patience and aspiration to live a better life for oneself and others according to one’s own moral philosophy ?
Us humanists? I don’t believe so much in labels:-) I think we all go same direction. To me God realization means the level of consciousness with which we are finishing our development in the material world. And that happen here on Earth, and in physical body.
When we realize that we are creating our destiny ourselves than our decisions can be more often good for us and the entirety.
What means for you being humanist?
A quote from a Rumi poem that I look to time and time again… I think the end looks like this! :o “In that silence I will hear the voice of spirit and freed from this world I will see another order where the end is another beginning.” As Kali transports us across the terrible to the abyss, up Mount Meru toward something new, but away from something old…
I’m not so sure that the end is any different than the beginning. Perhaps a shifting of awareness, or a deeper sadhana. But I believe that everything I do is YOGA. It’s not been something I started, but rather something that changes as does my sensitivity to what is happening that eludes to an essence of time.
Hopefully in this new year lot’s of people will start a yoga practice, or continue with a yoga practice, or just simply realize that their personal sadhana is just that. Personal.
All for the LOVE in 2008… I’d love to continue to read what other’s think about THE END… Perhaps it’s like finishing the last page of a great novel or story. It feels good to have accomplished.
Dear Hubert
The Path of Yoga is like crossing a bridge, with every step we are doing we are reaching the goal, but once we think we are finished with the path we are falling in the water and drown in the unconcious ocean.
Is?nt that wonderfull?
All the best
Lars