In our modern world we so often feel that if we just try harder, effort more, do more, push through, we will find success. Yoga teaches us that sometimes softer is better, less is better, more ease is better.
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Depending on where you live and who you are, we’re somewhere between 30 and 50 days into world-wide stay-at-home orders during an unprecedented (I swear if I hear that word one more time…) global pandemic, practicing physical distancing with no knowledge or control over what comes next. We’re into the time period now where the novelty is wearing off, the motivation is running dry, and exhaustion is setting in as these unusual circumstances are turning out to be more of a marathon than a sprint. How can yoga help us get through the experience of weathering a global pandemic?
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In this week’s exploration of Satya, Deborah Adele introduces complexity and ambiguity to the conversation by drawing the tension we experience in our daily lives between the desire to belong and the desire to grow. She connects this to a concept she describes as “doing things right the first time.” She expands on this by detailing those moments of procrastination like putting off doing our finances, or little lies we tell ourselves like “Oh yes, I’ll definitely have enough time to do all 10 items on my to do list today.”
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This week we’re looking at the second aspect of Satya truthfulness: Self-Expression. In Deborah Adele’s The Yamas and Niyamas she contrasts self-expression with self-indulgence. Its an interesting addition to last week’s focus on “being nice” instead of being true to oneself. Adele argues that when we are not true to ourselves, when our true expression is muted in some way, we look elsewhere for that expression or fulfillment.
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Being nice is the cursory, “polite,” all-too-common exchange: Hi there; how are you? I’m good, you? I’m good. How often do we ask that question in earnest to really hear the answer? How often do we answer that question with honesty and trust? Adele draws a line between nice and real. As someone who considers herself to be a Nice Person, I found this section to be challenging.
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Read MoreIs my “yes” coming
From a dark corner or from
The light in my heart?
~C.L.
Last week we took a look at how we might run interference into the lives of others. This week we look at how all of that love and concern worrying about others might be a distraction from the real work: loving ourselves.
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Hi, my name is Brooke, and I’m a worrier.
“Worry is fear that hasn’t grown up yet; it is a misuse of our imagination. We both devalue and insult others when we worry about them”
(P.S. The same goes for worrying about yourself or your own life.)
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Read More“If we are not on purpose with creating balance for ourselves, we can easily fall victim to false promises and fill every breathable space with appointments and activities and all the responsibilities that go with a full agenda. It is anti-cultural to claim any space that is simply space, or to move with any kind of lingering, or to take time for closure. We are bombarded and we bombard ourselves. And if we have any doubts, our calendars will reveal the truth of our craziness.”
I’m going to be blogging my experiences working through/reading The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele. Join me! Month 1 is about Ahimsa, week 1 is about courage and fear.
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Yoga is both a tool we can take with us off the mat, and a reflection of who we are off our mat. For example, if we are impatient in our regular life, we’ll probably be impatient in our yoga practice. One of the ways this shows up is through the balance that we navigate in our yoga asana between Effort and Ease.
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It seems like everyone is always talking about how good yoga is for you. Is there anything yoga can’t do?! What’s so good about yoga, anyway?
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We are surrounded by the message that we need to be constantly doing something , even in yoga. True yoga calls for the cessation of striving and the return to simplicity. Being ok with doing a little bit less, moving a little slower, keeping things simple.
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