In the times we live in, everything is documented with pictures. Our phones have cameras, we look at moving pictures, paintings, artwork etc. The media bombards with pictures of people and places whether by television, movies or the Internet. "Celebrities" can't seem to go in public without being harassed by the paparazzi.
I, myself, love to take pictures. In fact I just had a dialogue with someone about it. It got me to think about what the pictures represented. I was looking at some pictures that were taken more than 20+ years ago of myself and family members. I realized that a picture freezes the moment in 'time'. It is amazing to see how the body was at the time - younger.
It is not surprising that we get 'stuck' in how we think. Our mind is filled with endless images. It's no wonder that we have a challenging time to keep the mind quiet or have a clear perspective on things. Then on the other hand, pictures can help us to study events, appreciate nature, can be very soothing to the eye of the soul.
What we have to remember is that "I" that is looking at these pictures, like the body changing, is unchanging. "We are not the body" and this is where yoga comes in as a handy tool to help us navigate through life. Through the discipline of practicing meditation, we can use discrimination as to what we look at and bring into our consciousness. Practicing asanas consciously can help us to move the body and mind from moment to moment. Studying the texts like Patanjali's Yoga Sutras helps us not to be "stuck" in the maze of images that bombard us. The practice can give a clearer, deeper picture of who we really are.
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