Atmadarshana Yogyatvani: Fitness for the Observation of the Soul [SpiritFit]

Fort Collins, Colorado-based Michael Lloyd-Billington is a yogic triple-threat: personal trainer, yoga teacher and raw food advocate. I had the pleasure of having him as a teacher-trainer at the very beginning of my professional yoga career. He is a kind and funny man with some great ideas about mind/body/spirit/yoga which he is beginning to express in a new blog: SpiritFit. Check out his first post about the connection between health and fitness and spiritual quest:

‘We all know what it’s like to have the state of our bodies influence or even over-ride our intentions. We’ve all had moments – probably very many, in fact – when we’ve been less patient or kind or present than we wanted to be simply because our bodies were tired or ill or simply not feeling good. We’ve all had moments when we’ve compromised values or failed to live up to them because our heads were a little less clear due to choices in diet or lifestyle or our bodies were “out of sorts.” The fact is, when we fail to care for our bodies it has a direct impact on our states of mind. And when our minds are not clear, it is extremely difficult or even impossible to live our spiritual beliefs.

‘By contrast, the Yogis realized that, when our bodies are healthy and peaceful, our minds naturally become more clear and controlled. And when our minds are centered, it is much, much easier for us to hold on to and work toward our values.’

Source: Spirituality and Fitness