3 things that Yoga taught me with time
Yoga came knocking at my doorstep when I found myself in a new city. A detailed study through a certification made me unlearn everything I knew about this lifestyle. What started as a forced journey at the tender age of eleven, turned into a boon in my thirties.
Maybe that is the beauty of exploration and retrospection. Ideas sprinkled with the magical flavor of age and time, marinate into something wonderful. The process is rewarding and keeps you wanting more.
Meanwhile, I hold on to these three observations that make me want to reach my mat, time and again.
Dual functioning of the body and mind
“It’s the mind that creates the world”.
I had let this thought pass several times. However, in Yoga school, the possibilities of seeing my thoughts change with Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses) and Bharamari Pranayama(bee breath) made me believe it strongly. The effects of Bhujangasana, besides strengthening the spine also helped the heart to release all the battles it hid patiently.
Balasana and forward bends were relaxing to the mind. Seated asanas worked with the root of the spine. It embraced the idea of stability and the whirlwind of emotions in our life. Yoga made me believe that my breath was recharging my body with these asanas.
Imagine a possibility where the mind and body always left impressions on one another. Would we be then more careful with our thoughts and what we invited into our bodies? Almost like an enigmatic relationship, working symbolically with one other.
However, I always questioned-what was I taking my practice off the mat? Conscious breathing, respecting the pause, and welcoming Prana were my constant takeaways. This constant training of the body and mind became habitual with time.
Reservoir of energy
The belief that energy can be neither created nor destroyed but merely transformed makes us question how we view the idea of energy. For energy to flow, one needs to clear the blockages that deter us from reaching our potential.
Yoga, through the careful touch of pressure points, improves the communication of the nerves by removing these granthis(knots). Asana works best to transform food to energy, from the gut to different parts of the body.
The spiritus or prana, as a result, is vital for mechanotransduction that help nourish our scars, which produce obstacles within. For example, Nadhi Shodana is shown to balance both sides of the brain. Careful awareness and focus between the eyebrows through this careful breathing activates a point where all the Nadis(energy points)of the body meet. Almost like a powerhouse awaiting our effort to be stimulated and worked upon.
The idea of seasonal change
Yoga and Ayurveda work with the three doshas that determine how we function through the seasons. What we can learn is to observe how the seasons within correspond to the seasons outside.
The body needs to hibernate during winter. This could be symbolic of the times the heart is heavy and needs rest. We could attempt restorative poses during this season. Fall, on the other hand, works with Vata which could make us feel restless and unstable. Specific asanas liberate the lungs from grief, restlessness and make us feel grounded through Pranayama, twists, backbends, and side stretches.
During summer, we could engage with power poses of sun salutations. What is interesting to note is that we are not static beings. We embody endless possibilities that require observation through stillness and space that Yoga offers.
As a teacher, I observed our ability to adapt where everyone does their best to mold into a better version of themselves. The metaphor of Yoga could be the perfect gift to free the battles within while connecting with the outer world through a change in inner functioning.
“No one can better bask in summer’s balm than those who have
endured winter’s bite. Similarly, it is those who have suffered
through life’s darkest hours who are able to truly savor the bright
dawn of happiness.”
Daisaku Ikeda