24 Chapter 2
A personal mythology is the development of a holistic belief system derived from the symbols and archetypes that are most alive within you; it incorporates personal ritual and a moral code alongside a structure for personal development. Remember, we’ve never really needed a personal mythology or psychology in the past because societies collectively subscribed to a myth or a religion that sustained them on every level. In today’s world, we face new problems. The splintered nature of our society requires that we find our own way to resubstantiate our community and personal connections. You likely already feel this call within you—a call to reconnect to yourself and others through yoga. This call represents the first step in a very exciting journey to the development of your unique, comprehensive yoga practice. There is something more intrinsically connected within you than your current perspective allows you to see. Like Neo in the movie The Matrix, the call asks you to look at the truth of your being to see the nature of your highest self. Embarking on the journey to establish your personal mythology and yoga practice alters long-held beliefs and thought patterns that obscure your highest self and creates the condition that reveals your bliss. Discovering the pathway to bliss is perhaps the highest calling of any spiritual aspirant. It is a lifelong journey worth taking, but remember, your yoga practice does not necessarily make your life better, instead it makes you better at living your life. As you develop a more holistic belief system, personal rituals, a moral code, and the resilience and tools for continual personal development, then all of life’s challenges call you to deepen the connection to your bliss. All of life becomes your personal yoga practice—every moment. You become so comfortable living your life as a yogi that it is hard to imagine you ever lived another way! At first, wearing the proverbial yoga hat may feel awkward, like wearing a new pair of shoes that require a little breaking in. But once you start walking around in them more regularly, they become an extension of your feet. Your new yoga practice is an extension of your