Does life feel like a carnival ride? How do we deal with the challenges of life? What do you consider happiness to be? Can Hatha Yoga really open the “Door to Happiness”? Let’s see solutions to happiness, which you can find in your Hatha Yoga practice.

Life is often compared to a carnival ride. The “ups and downs” of life cause us pleasure and pain. To a certain extent, we all need a certain amount of stress, but the practice of Hatha Yoga can help you measure the amount of stress that you endure.

Think of stress as water: You need a little water to live, but too much water can turn into a flood. Hatha Yoga controls stress, like a dam controls water. We want a constant flow, but not too much.

How do we deal with the challenges of life? Many people want to avoid challenges and stress, but in the right “dose,” challenges are what keep us going. Start or end your day with Yoga and you will face life’s daily challenges with positive energy in your heart.

What do you consider happiness to be? Is it money, possessions, power, fame, retirement, or something else? All these things tax our spirit. The more we have, the more we want, the more we get bored and the more to worry about.

Happiness cannot be bought. Look at the lives of the “rich and famous”, if you need proof. Happiness is a choice, and Hatha Yoga can help anyone find the path to happiness.

Can yoga really open the door to happiness? Absolutely! All forms of Yoga teach meditation and Pranayama. In Hatha Yoga, these concepts sometimes become secondary to Yoga postures (Asanas). However, these three concepts combined will help you feel more joyful, even in times of disappointment.

Yoga can be practiced throughout the day. When you show acts of kindness, you will feel gratified knowing that you helped someone. Loving-kindness is a universal yogic concept. This is just one of many “Yoga off the mat” methods.

You can practice loving-kindness by giving to others. Let someone get ahead of you while you’re in traffic, or help someone in need. If you don’t have money, loving-kindness doesn’t have to be material.

Karma Yoga is self service; all you have to do is help or listen to someone who needs you.

Finally, every time you give, help, or listen, “come back.” This should not be your main motivation to help others, but giving is always rewarded in one way or another. This is just one example of the law of cause and effect, which we also know as “Karma”.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications