Awareness is the basics of everything. As Dr. Beth Rini Scott remarked “the building blocks of a positive experience. Yoga is a practice of uniting mind, body, and soul. She said about it’s ability to change us that, “It isn’t different if there isn’t a different quality of awareness.” This takes me back my yoga teacher training. My professor, Carlos Holguin taught Feldenkrais, another methodology of body awareness at a fundamental level. One can become quite knowledgeable of body mechanisms with this practice of experiencing anatomy at a fundamental level. Dr. Scott also teaches this practice herself.
The idea that different people can have a different experience based on their own quality of awareness makes me think of the learning process for different people, and is fascinating. Dr. Scott affirms that this is achieved through practice. She says we have to ask [ourselves] questions that require more awareness, like, “What do you eat? Why? How does it make you feel?” When we ask questions and are able to answer them through our own experience we can draw parallels and come to our own conclusions. She continues, “There is no prana in processed food, no ying, energy, life source.“ Once you realize the lack of energy, then you must determine, “Is the person ready for change? Change readiness is another determining factor in the becoming more “woke.”
Dr. Scott continues to address the processes to awareness (or shen in Mandarin which means spirit). “Through movement are methods,” she said. As mentioned, one method, “Feldenkrais, is hands on and nonverbal. Yoga is another process,” she notes, “that takes variations from the individual and weaves it into the lesson in the scope of human potential.” Some have achieved better awareness through non-physical means, meditation being one of those. “The process of awareness is not mutually exclusive from ego, self-education, or seeing sufferance. As Mahatma Gandhi put it, seeing sufferance parallels continued growth. [Awareness] is filled with words and not very introspective from a western perspective,” Scott remarks.
She continues, “Lifestyle and personality factors also play into awareness.” One must recognize those factors in order to move through that process. “Sometimes a fear/character trait may be revealed. It’s a demonstration of self love to be able to sit alone.” This mindfulness, consciousness, shen, zen, whatever you want to call it, comes in many different forms. “It can be mindful meditation, or prayer meditation.” The difference being one spoken or sung with words versus a silent practice. The spoken one can be a prayer, mantra, hum, song. The silent practice is just that but can use imagery or a variety of tools. This comes with preference. It’s like, “Doing vs. being. Generally speaking, men typically don’t want to be meditative and mindful (it’s too soft); It’s not masculine/not productive,” she notes.
It is in fact a process. One that may start as just an Asana practice to help cure physical ailments for example. But the reality is that the path to enlightenment is a self journey. Dr. Scott says “If you know what you’re doing you can find out what you want; how do you know what you want? Meditation! One must go within to see the light that is within. Neurological developmental patterns can be better understood this way. She stated, “Yoga is not a tradition, it enhances spiritual journey within.” I am in accord with that and my own experience and practice. Self reliance requires active participation. That is key to leading a healthy/productive life.
For more information, visit Dr. Beth Scott’s website at Whole Health Pysical Therapy LLC
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