hello fellow Yogis and Yoginis,
I was reminded yesterday of the importance of community. I had a couple of meetings with other local Yoga teachers, and it really served to drive home the importance of connection, not just professional, but for the simple act of interchange and reciprocation. A direct exchange on a personal and emotional level is something that can easily be forgotton in an age where communication is effortlessly available at the touch of a button. Many of us use email and text more than picking up the phone or actually making the effort to physically meet with friends, colleagues and loved ones.
There is also the idea that creating a network of like-minded individuals sows a seed which spreads it's message quietly but surely, drawing others in around it, so that before long we have mapped a group of people with different view points, experiences and ideas that can come together to share and support a common goal. If that goal is Yoga, the end result can be so vast and looked at on so many levels, that there really is no end to the possibilities! One of the things that makes Yoga so special is it's vastness as a subject. The idea that we are free to question and explore, encouraging us to learn and further our knowledge in the quest for truths of whatever shape or form......this is the backbone of a discipline such as Yoga. Knowing that these truths may well shift and morph into something else in time, is also a key aspect. If nothing in this world is permanent, why should so-called truths be any different? If we can accept this idea, we are far more likely to embrace change in whatever form it takes, and we will be open to our Yoga, our students, our families, our fellow teachers and in our communication and community.
Sometimes it is challenging to be open, usually because our mind has put up an obstacle of some description. We may feel threatened in some way, and this will lead to a shutting down or closing off, unless we can find the courage ( and it does take courage ) to recognise what our mind or ego is trying to do. It is a form of sabotage and not easy to overcome. In Yoga the feelings of emotional discomfort or pain that accompany this closing down are known as Duhkha. Sometimes people don't even realise they are experiencing Duhkha. This is where we come full circle, as a regular Yoga practice can help us develop the awareness we need to recognise Duhkha and our response to it. Some of us lash out, others internalise. Neither is going to bring us balance or peace. Perseverence with our practice, both on and off our Yoga mats will increase our awareness of how we react to the situations and people around us. This is often a long process, and requires a good deal of patience and hard work. It is really only through attempting to face our Duhkha that we can find a way out of the pattern, regaining the ability to open up once more to the connections and possibilities around us, free from the fear that made us feel threatened in the first place.
Use your Yoga for what it was intended; it is a powerful life tool. Take it with you when you step off your mat. Remind yourself that it is not an easy path, but that it is a noble and courageous one.
with thanks and gratitude,
Julia x
