Sometimes, we need to be reminded of the most obvious things. This week, I've been ruminating on how my practice, or my sadhana if you like, is helping me to develop the skills to become a better person in real life, real time.
But to back up just a minute, it is worth pause to consider, why is it that we call this thing that we do when we come to our sticky mat? What is it that we are practicing for? I can think of at least two ways of answering this question: literally and metaphorically.
At the literal level, asana, or practice of Hatha Yoga Poses, as the story goes, was invented to prepare the body and its energy channels to be able to sit comfortably to begin a concentration, or dharana practice. This is why, at least in the west, asana has become the "gateway limb" of yoga for practitioners. It is simply the most accessible way to get started down a yogic path. Once the body is free from pain and excess energy has been discharged, we are more likely to have success with concentration.
On a metaphorical level, our asana, as well as our meditation practice, prepare us for life. In other things we show up and practice for, such as a sport, there is usually a main event to prepare for, aka, "The Big Game!"
Fellow yogis, the big game we are preparing for in our daily sadhana is life itself.
Just this week I observed how meditation is an elegant preparation for living life. When we sit down for concentration and fix our mind on an object, be it our breath, a mantra, or specific intention, inevitable non related, less helpful thoughts pop up. As practitioners we are taught to acknowledge the thought and then release it like a passing cloud. This in and of itself is great preparation for life. Developing the skill to control your mind and select for beneficial thoughts over harmful is perhaps the most important skill any person can develop.
Sometimes when you sit for meditation, you stumble and your mind goes chasing after the unwelcome thought and you lose your way, lose your practice for a moment. When this happens, we are taught to find our footing and gently, without judgment bring the mind back to our center. This I find to be especially applicable to daily life. After all, we are human and destined to err. The way to move past our mistakes, without creating addition ripples of judgment, blame, guilt, etc., is to observe that we are off track and gently guide ourselves back to our purpose, back to our center, back to our breath.
Getting back to asana, it seems a worthy exercise to list some of the skills we can cultivate with a daily practice, to keep in crystal clear focus, why it is we have a daily practice. Here are just a few I've come up with, feel free to add more in the comments section!
1.) Concentration / Focus - In asana, as in meditation, we keep our mind pointed on the present moment, with helpful anchors like our breath, alignment and or bandhas. When our mind wanders to what we are eating for dinner, we gently guide it back to our mat, back to the practice. In today's world of Triple Macchiatos and Ritalin for school children, focus is something we are desperately grasping for.
2.) Core Strength - With our bandhas we develop very real inner strength, a strength Sadie Nardini has coined, "Core Strength Vinyasa". When we are strong from the inside out and move from this place of strength our confidence is increased, as evidenced by our confident correctly aliggned posture. Coming from a place of confidence and strength we are less likely to act from fear and insecurity and more likely to act with love, reaping far better results.
3.) Flexibility - As we age, we become more rigid both mentally and physically. In our late 20s our ligaments and connective tissues begin the process of hardening and calcifying and so does our mind. Taking the time on a daily basis to stretch and create space in the body, slows this process down. Stepping out of our comfort zone to try new things, "You want me to put my foot where? Which nostril are we breathing out of?", I would argue also slows down this hardening / aging process.
4.) Vinyasa - I have heard vinyasa translated as "moving with the breath" and "moving in a special way". While I am no Sanskrit expert, there is a definite lesson to be learned either way. Taking the time to move through our lives with intention, making sure our actions are aligned with our highest truths can only be a positive. Haphazard movement is likely to yield haphazard results. Taking time to check in with our breath, as means of evaluating our mental state and then redirect it when necessary is a great thing to do throughout the day. "Is my breathing shallow? Am I stressed right now? Am I holding tension in my chest? What can I do at my desk to relax a bit?".
It seems helpful to me, to keep in perspective just what it is that we are working towards in our daily practice, keeping your eyes on the prize so to speak. After all, yoga does not have to be about lofty goals or esoteric themes. The lessons I learn from my daily practice are real and pragmatic. How has your practice helped you to better prepare for daily life?
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