More than 20 million people practice yoga in America. For most of these people, yoga means Asana, the physical postures. Only a small percentage of yoga practitioners incorporate other aspects of yoga into their practice and lifestyle, namely: meditation, breath-work, morals and disciplines.
It is good that so many people have a physical asana practice as asanas do offer many health benefits. However, if these people expand their practice even marginally by embracing other limbs of yoga, they would benefit exponentially in all walks of life.
A comprehensive yoga practice that includes all limbs of yoga builds character, discipline, an appreciation for the eco-system and the resolve to face challenges more gracefully.
Yoga Maya is a new documentary that shows the importance of having an integrated yoga practice. Yoga Maya will clarify many misconceptions of yoga in America by addressing 4 subject areas:
- Yoga versus Asanas (physical postures)
- Yoga teaching standards
- Yoga & Religion
- Yoga versus Tantra and other spiritual faiths.
There is no better time than now to embrace the full promise of yoga. Most of the problems one faces in this country today are due to a lack of discipline, morals and holistic view of life. These problems include spending beyond one’s means, suffering from illnesses due to poor diet and lifestyle choices, spending money on wars instead of investing that money in social services and destroying the environment for short term benefits. The foundation of this country is crumbling and the creators of the Yoga Maya film believe it is time for a fundamental change in the way we think and live.
An integrated yoga practice can solve these problems and offer the transformation that is needed today. It is time for everybody to operate in a higher state of consciousness. Yoga, if embraced in its entirety, can take one to that higher state. Yoga Maya offers some thought provoking conversations about how one can achieve a higher state of consciousness and deepen one’s spiritual practice.
Yoga Maya has recently been accepted to the Awarness Film Festival in Los Angeles, which runs from September 11th-21st. Arvind Chittumalla, producer and director of Yoga Maya, has been practicing yoga for the last 30 years. Cast of Yoga Maya includes: Jai Uttal, Annie Carpenter, Mark Whitwell, Felicia Tomasko, Tracee Stanley, Swami Sri Atmananda, Arun Deva, Daniel Stewart, Julie Carmen, Tej Khalsa, Lorin Roche, Chris Chapple.