This is a mantra I’ve repeated hundreds of thousands of times over the years when I was too hungover, depressed, heartbroken, anxious, sad or just couldn’t be arsed to get to the yoga studio.
It’s also what I’ve told many people I’ve taught. Not just the able-bodied ones, but especially the less able, older people, those dealing with injuries, sickness, mental illness etc. Yoga poses can become harder – feel impossible to face when you’ve got other stuff going on.
I mean that all the work we do on the mat (when we can), every inch of self-discovery and inner work we discover there can be drawn upon when we can’t do a sun salutation for whatever reason.
This is why I believe in, practice and teach the Ashtanga method. I regularly see first-hand how memorising the sequence is empowering for students. You know what to do without having to think about what to do. This is helpful particularly at times of internal crisis and useful for making the most of what yoga was intended for – going inwards.
In our Covid-19 climate many of us are in the throws of anxiety amid uncertainty. So what do we do when we’re being advised to stay still? Where studios are having to take the necessary precautions and cancel classes or close so that we can’t practice with our fave teacher? I’m struggling with this myself too.
But it doesn’t mean we can’t practice. It does however mean practice will have to change. This might be a time to do things differently. You might not sweat as much, work as hard or feel as mentally or physically strong without a teacher there to help, but you can still practice.
And though that’s hard to stomach initially for can’t sit still easily people who chase physical exertion like me. For those of us who rely on the physical practice to assist purging internal emotional processes, it’s useful – albeit deeply uncomfortable – to be forced to stop and go it alone.
Perhaps look at what’s behind our need to move and get our yoga posing hit (I’m forced to do this a lot. It’s not comfortable). Pausing and observing can serve as a reminder that the physical practice is only one part of the greater yoga practice – which has a bigger goal then merely a fit body.
This is where a home practice comes in – for doing poses yes, but also an opportunity to study – or at least think about – yoga philosophy, which can get overlooked. Or if yoga isn’t your way, there might be other approaches you can turn to for self-work that help bolster up or calm your emotional self. I recommend reading anything by and following the wisdoms of Thich Nhat Hanh.
The most powerful (and portable) where space is an issue is to explore Pranayama (breath control) practices to prepare for meditation – v good for focussing the mind, clearing it and quashing angst.
One of the many big things yoga has taught me in the 25 odd years since I first stepped on (and off and on) a mat is that happiness/wellness/contentment doesn’t lie in stretchier hamstrings (even though it feels pretty good when we get them).
It’s actually to be found in a profound knowing of ourselves. This work takes time, can be painful, sometimes presents us with ugly or harsh realities.
But it’s this self inquiry that is the real yoga.
(Disclaimer: in my experience).
By Nadia Gilani
