Yoga has become an essential part of my life. Not only do I physically feel better after I practice, but yoga has also taught me about myself. After many years, I now recognize that our yoga practice mirrors our approach to life. Watching our reactions during practice can help clue us into how we take on just about anything we do.
Even more, translating what we learn from yoga to our lives off the mat can give us a fresh, new perspective. How can our practice help us to actually be better not only at yoga but at life?
Breathe.
There is nothing more therapeutic than our own breath. If you’ve ever practiced mindfulness, relaxation or stress management techniques before, you’ve experienced the power of your breath. In yoga, we breathe and link our movements to our breath. No matter what we do, we never sacrifice the breath in order to achieve a pose. Our breath is the one non-negotiable and our root during practice. The same is true in life. When we allow our breath to flow fully and effortlessly, our days seem calmer and our mind better prepared to meet daily challenges. Even when faced with difficult situations, keeping our breath full and mindful enables us to better problem-solve and more patiently meet challenges.
Flow.
On our mat, every day is different and no practice is ever the same. The same is true of life. One day, a headstand might be effortless, but not in the cards the next day. Your balance might be impeccable when practicing eagle or tree pose today, but you might wobble back and forth constantly the next time you step on the mat. That’s because the same person does not step on your mat twice. We are new every day, and our practice reflects that. Falling out of a pose doesn’t mean we’re losing progress; it might just be an off day. The tricky part comes when we place expectations on our “performance” and then judge ourselves. In reality, some days are better than others, and that is not a bad thing.
When we observe without beating ourselves up, we allow our body to get stronger, learn from the pose, and perhaps even make it easier to get in that pose on your next try. Most of us are guilty of beating ourselves up for not “achieving” what we expected. This constant judging doesn’t make us better people. In fact, it probably makes us shy away from trying again or taking on new challenges. Maybe we need to take a cue from our yoga practice. Just flow.
Turn It Upside Down.
It’s always good to look at things from another point of view.
Inversions in yoga can provide many benefits for your circulatory, immune and parasympathetic system. In life, taking a step back and allowing ourselves to see things from a different perspective can lead to some inspiring shifts and a-ha moments. This can literally give us a new outlook on life.
Be in the Moment.
While practicing yoga, we focus on what the body is doing on the mat and nothing else. This kind of focus and mindfulness also has a myriad of benefits when it comes to our thinking. Allowing our attention to anchor in the present moment always helps to diminish overwhelm and stress and generally encourages creativity and better problem-solving. It’s also about stepping on the mat or into our day without setting expectations. This will allow our yoga practice to be what it needs to be on any given day, or our life to unfold as it should.
Know Your Edge.
While practicing asana (yoga poses), we learn to find that fine line between our comfort zone and a challenge, while still keeping our safety and health in mind. I find this approach is what nurtures an attitude of learning and growth in life. It lets us go beyond the “safe,” expected or ordinary, while still being responsible and diligent.
Bottom line, yoga can be a great metaphor for life. There is freedom in finding space. In yoga, growth comes from finding space within your poses and in your body. In life, growth comes from finding space between our thoughts and knee-jerk reactions. When we’re able to find that space, we allow ourselves to step back and take mindful actions in every situation we are faced with.
In yoga, we learn to be at ease through an uncomfortable position, without resisting or becoming tense. And isn’t that an essential skill we need to be successful in life? Just as we develop flexibility in the body, we’re able to do the same in the mind.
“Yoga is a mirror to look at ourselves from within.” – B.K.S. Iyengar
