(Im)perfect Body

In this episode Colin, Robbie and Matt talk about bodies - our imperfect bodies. The focus is not so much on body image but rather, what does yoga have to say about the body? The two primary impressions one has of how yoga sees the body are seemingly a little in conflict: the body very much is imperfect and impermanent and if we understood that more, we would be a lot less enchanted with out bodies than many of us are.

But yoga also says that the body should be treated as a temple: it is the host of the Self, and mastery over the body will aid in efforts to gain mastery over the mind. So there is plenty of focus in yoga philosophy on keeping the body as healthy as possible, to facilitate the practice of yoga.

In the many different traditions of yoga there are different approaches to nutrition. This is not so different from other philosophies and many religions: what we put into our bodies, humans have believed for centuries, has a great effect on how well our bodies, minds and spirits operate and work together. However, it is possible to observe that the roots of some of these rules, in whatever tradition, are reflections of the best food science of the time. So there is a role today for our current scientific understanding of nutrition in helping us feed our bodies in the best way possible.

We touch briefly on drugs: it may be useful to see them as yogis see many other things: not necessarily good or bad in and of themselves. The more important aspect is how and why we might use them. And let's not forget addiction, usually not useful in any context. A closer examination might reveal that addictions to sugar or salty food may be more harmful than we can see on the surface.

We express the hope that however you feel about your body, whatever state of ability or disability it may experience, whatever your level of "fitness", there is a style of yoga for you, somewhere a teacher for you, and a path to have a healthier relationship with your body, mind and spirit, because as Robbie reminds us, there is no separation between them!