Hugs and kisses

In many forms of yoga, the basic philosophy is to melt your heart when you are in the yoga pose. Of course, there are basic steps like shins-in, thights-out poses and finding your balance to get into an effortless state. To get into the state of effortless suspension, we have to melt our hearts and hug ourself.

Talking about hug ourself, how do we do it? In the first place, have you hug others? It you have been doing that, it is easy to imagine what is the feeling. In the western world, giving other people a hug is customary. What is the big deal? But, to some Asians, it is a personal taboo. It has the feeling that it is an intrusion to our privacy. Our body is private and it cannot be touch. If we have such feelings, then it will be very difficult to really feel the effectiveness of this yoga teaching and embed such relaxation in the pose.

When you hug a person, it does not mean wanting of sex or to be personal, it is a feeling of passion, a true feeling for the person we meet or in contact When we hug, there is a feeling of compassion and in touch with the other person. It totally relaxes the heart and harmonized the feeling of the two person in contact. Naturally, it opens the heart and melt it down. You have release a geniune concern for that person. For some culture, it ends with a kiss on the forehead or the cheek.

For me, I am a passionate person if you really know me. In my life, I have been hugging my parents when I am young. I hug my mum whenever I see her. I hug my sisters , my niece and nephews. Then, of course, my wife and daughter. Those people, I feel attached and love. For my nieces,it comes naturally because I do not see them everyday and in rare moements, when I meet them, I will chase after them for hugs. I feel good after the hugs and kisses on their cheeks. It is to release all my "miss you" feelings. It really feel good. I do not know whether the other people feels my feeling but I think they could receive and understand my gesture.

Many people thinks that hugging is sex. It is nonsense but of course, we do not simply hug strangers on the street. This is a wecko act and it is nuts. We can get a tight slap or get into trouble. But, for some people, even they meet the first time, they can easily ease into a hug. It is like a natural act and it just come into being.

If we have a true loving kindness and a great compassion for all beings, this act of hugging will crystallize the feeling of passion and a loving concern for others. We should try to show love to our love ones and through this act, it will save a lot of talking. There is a saying " a picture says a thousand words" and in this case, a hug expressed a million words. Sometimes, the words cannot do the perfect job and it is like a diluted cup of coffee and you are missing the "omph".

LIfe is short and don't keep your feelings to yourself. Show it and feel it. It will lead you to a great journey through life.

Namaste.