After my very first yoga class the instructor asked me how I liked it. I honestly got tears in my eyes when replying “I loved it.” The words I used to describe that first class included “relaxing” and “calming.” Those word are accurate as far as they go, but beginning and sustaining a yoga practice has subtle yet profound effects that go deeper than those terms can describe.
I was hooked immediately, and continued taking classes from that instructor for years. At some point I began reading books about yoga, perusing the shelves of my local library and buying books online.
I wasn’t even really sure what I was looking for in those books. Information about poses? Advice on sustaining my practice and improving my technique? Something was going on at a very deep level with this yoga stuff, and I wasn’t sure what it was. Some inkling was stirring the soul, and I needed to put my finger on just what was going on.
One of the first books I read was Insight Yoga by Sarah Powers. In her introduction she speaks elegantly about yoga as a path for self-transformation. But transformation into what? Where? I believe it was Pattabhi Jois who wrote that once you start asking these questions, the transformation is already under way. Just keep coming back to the mat. “Do your practice and all is coming.” All what?
The closest thing to a real answer that I got during this stage was from a self-published e-book 21 Things to Know Before Starting an Ashtanga Practice by practitioner Claudia Azula Altucher. She describes the path as beginning with yoga as a way to cleanse and energize our systems, leading to a healthier body which helps the mind be more focused and efficient. This leads to clarity around our current life and relationships, which in turn leads to better decision making in our lives. This ultimately leads to better living conditions and better energy surrounding us.
So I kept coming back to the mat, not sure exactly where I was going but knowing I must continue. One of the results has been an increase in compassion for those around me. A few days ago I was walking to my parked car and passed a women sitting in another car who was wiping away tears. I paused for a moment in my thoughts and offered her a silent prayer for comfort, peace of mind, and the wish for good news to come her way. Instead of judging others I pause and offer understanding for lives and circumstances that I cannot know or comprehend.
For me, yoga is a physical practice that improves strength, flexibility and stamina. It is also a practice for the mind and soul. Calming, relaxing and stress relieving in ways that must be experienced to be understood. Ready for relief? Just keep coming back to the mat.
