ABSTRACT
I suggested earlier that the practice of asanas has two types ofbenefits, outer and inner. The outer benefits are better health, a sense of well-being, and, from Savarasana, mental alertness. These are short-term benefits in the sense that if Yoga practice is discontinued, these benefits will tend to disappear. The inner (and long-range) benefits derive from skills that are being practiced intemally as we perform the asanas. One of these skills, immersing oneself totally in the task at hand, was discussed in the preceding chapter. The other skill consists in practicing a new attitude. In Yoga we leam not to be judgmental. lnitially, this practice is focused on ourselves. Suppose I am unable to perform perfectly the demonstrated posture. IfI am unhappy with myself, that is judgment. Also, ifI am doing the posture perfectly and am wishing that everyone is watehing me, that, too, is judgment. These complaints and cravings are not part ofthe yogic state. In performing Yoga, one is practicing eliminating these judgments.
