Who am I and Who Are You?

This is a cute and insightful poem by one of my Yoga students at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College. Their assignment was to do a creative presentation of Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, or Ashtanga. The author is Ms. Julia Leuthardt.

Who Am I and Who Are You?

Patanjali's eyes are resting on mine
having a question obviously on his mind
what is it that he wants me to find?

who am I and who are you?

do you know the answer for sure?
the answer lies within yourself
hidden on a secret shelf

you have to see beyond nature
to understand your spiritual fracture
of your True Nature

climb up with me the eight limbs
and become one of the spiritual kings

restrain your relationship with other people – Yama
and concentrate on your inner drama
reaching towards Niyama

with Asana you find yourself seated
with Pranayama you breathe it

Pratyahara means to withdraw yourself from any senses
with Dharana you're fixing on lenses

Dhyana brings you deeper into meditation
of a higher concentration

the last limb is Samadhi
filling you with ecstasy

you have climbed the eight limbs with me
do you feel how pure you can be?

practice every day a bit
you will see how it fits
into your life
in which you have to struggle so much to survive.

February 12th, 2008 Julia Leuthardt