The conjunction of effort, concentration and balance in asana forces us to live intensely in the present moment, a rare experience in modern life.

As long as the body is not in perfect health, you think about it, and that prevents you from thinking of the mind. The sound mind is a sound body.

Not all practitioners can jump to that highest level. They have to climb, step by step from the physical sphere to reach the spiritual sphere. If it is treated as exercise it is not the fault of yoga but of the practitioners.

The decision to relax rather than to grip, even in the face of impatience or fear, is a conscious and brave choice.

I also say with backbends, you have to be cautiously bold. Not carelessly bold. You have to descend to the dictation of the spine. You cannot command from the brain to do the poses. As you play with a child, guarding the child from injuries, similarly you have to play in backbends, guarding your spine.

Do not stop trying just because perfection eludes you.

We need sound bodies so we can develop sound minds.