I used an A.I. (ollama run locally using the llama3.0 model) to interview myself about Yoga. I made it pretend to be another Yogi, and we both pretended to be having coffee together. I edited out most of what the A.I. said, because who cares what an A.I. says, but the questions were good prompts for me and elicited answers I am pleased with.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
??? What about you? What brings you joy and fulfillment?
I love yoga. It has really changed my life, freeing me from pain and making me able to do things I thought I'd never do again. The mindfulness aspect also had a profound impact on me, bringing me inner peace and happiness.
??? Was there a specific injury or health
issue that led you to explore the practice, or was it just something that resonated with you on a
deeper level?
I had back and neck and shoulder pain for years, and I tried different things, but never yoga. I always had felt that yoga was more of a 'woman's space' and I didn't want to intrude and make them uncomfortable. However when a friend I knew from dog walking invited me to join one of her classes, I felt then I had been invited, so I came along. It instantly clicked for me. I formed a strong bond with the teacher and the other students and started going several times a week. While it was very hard work at first I felt the physical benefits almost immediately, so that kept me motivated and energized. And now here I am, pain free, strong and filled with inner peace and happiness.
??? I have to ask: What do you think has been the most significant shift or discovery for you since
starting your yoga practice? Has it been physical, emotional, or spiritual?
It's hard to say which changes were biggest, but I orginally started just for the physical benefits. The emotional and spiritual aspects just happened as a result of practicing the poses. Of course now, the inner peace is probably what brings me the most joy, although it solved all the other problems too along the way.
??? What do you think is the most important thing to keep in mind as new students begin exploring this new path?
My advice to new students is usually something like “just show up on your mat, and all the rest will fall into place”. Also, when they feel something is too hard, I like to say that “if it was so easy that you could do it all from the start, then you really wouldn't have accompished anything at all”. Also, “start from where you are, not where you were, or want to be or think you should be, always start from where you are today”.
??? Tell me more about what you mean by "start from where you are today." What does that look like in practice for you, and how has it impacted your own
journey?
Well you have to reset your expectations for what you can do every day. One day you might be strong and agile, the next day weak and unbalanced. The important thing is to accept what you are able to do today, and do it, not let yourself get derailed by perceptions of having lost ground or missed goals. All these lessons apply to all aspects of life, not just yoga. One other lesson I'd like to mention is that the present, this exact moment, is the only time we ever can achieve or accomplish anything. In this moment it is my conversation with you, fully engaged, listening and sharing, growing and changing.
??? Any last thoughts before we close?
Yes, the last lesson, is that yoga in one word is "Love", for ourselves, for our fellow students, our teachers and their teachers and all those who haven’t yet begun their journeys.
Namaste