Spark in Yoga Classes

Devotion.

It can be a charged notion, particularly if one has some unpleasant religious association with it. But that’s just part of the story.

In my view, it is not so much a question of “if” one has faith and devotion, but rather, faith and devotion in and towards “what?” Do we place our trust in Institutions? Science? The phone? Family? Divinity?

As a yoga practice, devotion is a way of shifting attention away from oneself–and all its finite finite and vexing assumptions–and placing it on a larger force or ideal, a greater cosmic order perhaps.

In yoga class, I often hear an invitation for everyone to “set your intention.”  

In that moment, I sometimes yearn that we may unite our devotions towards a shared higher principle such as “Intrinsic-Love,” “Peace,” or “Acceptance.”  

Maybe there is some singular and trusted-enough principle we can uplift and be in service of?

This tends to happen organically at the end of class, when there is a shared moment of silence, and is often the richest instant in class.  Why not share reveal moment of devoted-connection at the beginning as well?

Devotion, while not commonly given credence in many spaces, softens isolation and magnifies our connection to the deeper ethos of yoga.