When we first arrived on our mat, that very first time, perhaps we had an idea of what "yoga" was. But that idea was shattered, or at least changed, once we experienced it. When we first arrived on our mat, that very first time, perhaps we had prepared long before that moment. Perhaps a friend dragged us. Perhaps we stormed out of the class and never returned. Perhaps we had to do yoga videos for a year or more before we felt comfortable setting food in a studio. Perhaps we just showed up on impulse. In any case, the first experience of yoga is predicated by some wish to grow, to be more focused, more at peace, or even just more flexible. Every experience of yoga that follows the first is predicated by our positive experience on the mat, or how we felt afterwards. Most people that do yoga discover the same thing: it works.
Yoga takes your tension with an inhale, and expels and releases it with an exhale. Yoga helps the mind to understand what the body is and isn't capable of. Yoga calms the nervous system, and even helps with subtle things like our lymphatic, endocrine, and digestive systems. Yoga brings a presence of mind with effort towards doing something challenging. Yoga encourages an organic, rhythmic process, and stretches out parts of the body that we often didn't know were there, let alone needed stretching. Transitions and challenges do the same thing to our course of life, but also to our psychic system and spiritual growth. When transitions arise we often don't expect them or want them. But they are a roadblock not to be ignored, and they change our path in a way that can impact our lives forever.
Things get hectic every so often and we wonder why. "Everything happens for a reason," is a mantra that brings comfort in the face of the unknown. Why did this happen? Why is this happening to me or to the person I love? What is this challenge in front of me, and am I able to meet it? Yogis say that we are never faced with a challenge that we can't handle, that life hands us karmic experiences that we already have within our skill set to tackle and overcome. That every obstacle is a stepping stone to our growth, that every challenge is an opportunity to create something positive and better for our present and future.
It's spring. We just had the supermoon. For the last few weeks, I have been crazy and stressed, and everyone I come in contact with seems to be feeling the same way. In these moments a simple deep breath wont calm us. In these moments we lash out at the ones we love, we question everything, we let fear take a hold of us. Sometimes it feels like every situation in my life is shrouded with some kind of drama or misunderstanding, some kind of difference or rift that prevents things from running as smooth as silk. Sometimes it feels like everyone in the world is happier than me, that everyone has their lives figured out and the answer to pure contentedness.
I take my own advice. I take a breath. And another. I focus on what it is I am grateful for. I breathe again. I focus on the present moment. Relief happens. However fleeting...
When I look back at the course of my life, I can see how I have made it this far. I have faced every challenge and survived. I have lacked grace. I have angered those I love. I have disappointed myself. But I arrived on the other side. When transitions arise, we are ready. The lotus blooms from the muck. Even if we just make small steps every day, even if we are fighting against choking mud to reach for the sun, eventually we do indeed blossom.
When we come to our mats or our meditation cushion we are always striving for our best effort, to practice to the best of our ability. This intention comes from the purest place within, from our innate desire to grow and be better. To be stronger, fitter, healthier, happier, calmer, more present. To be a better person for our families, for our friends, for our co-workers, for ourselves.
When I first went to that bikram class with my mom 14 years ago, I had never heard of yoga and didn't know what it was about. (I also had no idea that you really shouldn't wear umbro shorts to a yoga class.) I sweat my sitbones off. I sat down when it was too much. But I did it. I didn't love it, but I liked it. I wanted to do it again and try other styles. It took several years, but slowly I started a process of becoming a yogi. And now I love it. To this day, that process is ever-evolving, and still has the potential for so much more growth and expansion. Perhaps from this perspective I can start to see that my challenges with my job, with my relationship, with my family, all have the potential to turn out the same way. Yoga has taught me that being comfortable can inhibit growth, that we need to step out of our comfort zone to break through our patterns. Yoga has taught me that we are never handed a challenge we can't meet. As tired as I am, as exasperated and afraid as I feel, these are also indicators that I must be ready. These aren't insurmountable challenges. They are stepping stones along my path to growth.
Om Shanti. Practice Makes Practice.
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