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The practice of yoga like any other mind-fullness practice, is a practice of self reflection. It is not a practice of self improvement, although many seem to be confused about this. In other words it's not about becoming a better person based on your own or others judgments of you, but it's a practice towards becoming who you actually already are.That beautiful and powerful being of light and love, that needs no improvement of any kind.
A practice of self reflection guides us on an inner journey. It shows us how to look closely at our own thoughts and reactions, becoming increasingly aware of what is real and what is not. It's like taking a magnifying glass and putting it at yourself. And then to look through it, being aware of any judgments or excuses you might make up concerning anything you see within yourself. It's to open a door towards self acceptance, without condoning or denying any of what we see. It's allowing what is already taking place to be what it is, not pretending within our minds that it's anything else. And then when we see, as Krishnamurti said, there is change.
This takes courage and a soft heart. It takes compassion towards our self, and then there can be true compassion and empathy toward others. All this is possible by simply setting aside some time in which we, one way or another, look inside with an honest intent of wanting to actually see what is. It can be done as a moving meditation with posture practice, by breathing practice, seated or walking meditation. No matter how we choose to practice, there has to be an underlying wish to see reality, and not just our own made up stories and interpretations.
This practice brings a multitude of positive influences on our lives, and it brings us the sense of being alive and awake. Ernest Hemingway put it in these words:
"Try to learn to breathe deeply,
really to taste food when you eat,
and when you sleep, really to sleep.
Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your
might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell.
And when you get angry, get good and angry.
Try to be alive.
You will be dead soon enough."
Practice is a path towards waking up and being alive. So to fully enjoy the magic of human life, and to experience Love.
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