GIS-4636-091

Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 12  GIS-4636-091 December 6, 2020      In the West, I think that yoga is taught semi-spiritual practice. I think that a lot of teachers in the West take the things that they like from eastern yoga spirituality, and pick and choose what they want to express and teach to others. They take the parts that make yoga marketable, the promises that yoga is supposed to bring you if you practice enough with them. Also, I think that when you take a class sometimes teachers connect the poses to spirituality, saying things like "connecting to the earth" "feeling the energy around you" but these are pretty vague statements and do not go into depth about spirituality. On the other hand, I think that yoga in the East is connected more to spirituality and teaching it as a spiritual practice. Even the way that young yogis learn, is to follow someone and have a guru, which proves the point further of how it is more of a lifestyle and spiritual prac...

      Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 10 GIS-4636-091 December 1, 2020       I think that the role of the body is to give us a physical body for our soul and our spirits. The body is able to give us a physical experience of being in a body, walking around, interacting with others, and living our daily lives. Alot of other experiences in our lives are based on our soul, our emotions, and our spirit. For example, take something like connecting with someone on a deeper level, that is less of a physical experience but more of a soul and mind experience. You are able to feel that connection not through your physical body, but your soul and feel as though that other person understands you on a deeper level. The role of the body is also to enhance our spiritual or soul experiences as well. Again taking the example of connecting with someone on a deeper level, you are able to have physical experiences with that other person if you so choose that enhance ...

    Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 10 GIS-4636-091 November 27, 2020       I think that meditation is so important when it comes to practicing yoga. I think that it ties everything you just did in your practice at the end. For me, whenever I practice I make sure that I am able to take time for myself and practice my own meditation. Whether it just be sitting in a cross-legged position, or laying on the floor flat, it's important that I am able to have that time. It makes me feel more connected to myself and the world around me. I am truly able to let go of all of my thoughts and worries of the day and fully relax. As time goes on and I continue practicing, I am able to be more concentrated in that space. Even though I might hear my roommates outside my door, or traffic passing by, I feel as though I am still able to contrate on my body and mediate.       I think that goes to show that if many practices do not have that meditation ...

  Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 9 GIS-4636-091 November 6, 2020      When it comes to yoga, there is a vast array of different definitions. Depending on where you go, the definition of yoga is ever-changing. In the west, the definition of yoga is vastly different from the definition in the east. For example, in the west yoga is more defined by its physicality rather than its spirituality. It is seen as an exercise and way of working out, and not a way of connecting with your higher self and your body. On the other hand, yoga in the east can be more defined as something of spirituality, and more of a lifestyle that you live day today. When it comes to defining yoga within the practice space, things can get defined differently. For example, in the west, it is commonplace that you go to a yoga studio and take a class with other people. That is how yoga is defined in the west and how it is practiced. That is the norm here, even though it might be far from the ori...

Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 8 GIS-4636-091 October 30, 2020      I think that there are many contributing factors to the fact that yoga has become pop-culture here in America. One thing that I have noticed is that in more recent years, there has been a push for more health-related products. Products that promise you to get in shape, get fit, and finally get the body you dream of. I think that in some ways, yoga is marketed in this way as well. It promises so much for the person, and then they get drawn into the world and community of yoga, when the main goal of yoga is not to have the body you dream of. I think that over the course of the years of yoga coming to the united states, the main goal of yoga has been skewed. It has been changed so that it fits the narrative of being fit, spiritually aligned, and having the best body. Moreover, I think that America has a different view when it comes to looks. In the west, there is an underlying obsession with having to...

  Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 7 GIS-4636-091 October 21, 2020     Yoga is seen as a healing practice in my practice space because I make it that way, I believe. As said in previous journal entries, I make sure that my space is ready when I go to do my practice. I make sure that I am in a place that doesn't have a lot of noise, and a place where I am able to practice without sound. Sometimes I will open up a window to make sure that there is some fresh air that is coming into my room. Another thing that is important to me when it comes to my practice space is a scent as well. Often I will have incense or a candle burning, to add to the environment of my practice space. To me, that is seen as healing. The things that I put in the room make it a healing practice space for me. When I see those things in my room when I am about to practice, it reminds me of what I am here to practice for. I practice in order to ground myself and connect with my body more. Lastly, I t...