The truth is, we come to Yoga for some kind of help. We come to yoga to make a change right? Something in our life is not going the way we want. Something has to give. Whether it's illness, injury, stress, lack of mobility, fitness, we turn to this ancient practise when we needed it most. Yes you may feel pretty good after your first yoga class BUT sometimes it is a complete struggle and what we learn quickly is there is no quick fix. Each time you arrive on the mat the struggles are there, the aches and pains, the cracks and pops in the joints, the heaviness, the difficulty breathing. Basically whatever is going on in your life is highlighted each time you meet the mat. And sometimes it feels amazing and at other times it doesn't.
Over time what the mat teaches us is that things worth having take courage, commitment, guts and determination. Working to achieve something takes effort or Yoga of Action. Whether it's a new job, training for a marathon, changing your diet, mastering an inversion practice, or changing unhealthy relationships. All these things require us to face what is in front of us.
Making progress with anything requires us to see beyond the hurdles of our journey. Staying the course requires that we don't get caught up in the challenges that present themselves. It is the true test of character, the ability to view life's hurdles objectively when they present themselves. Yoga on the mat helps us understand this. So here are a few tips:-
Avoid Digging Into The Past
Often when people get to this point they give up and start to dig into the past for answers. And whilst this can be insightful, the past can also be a source of frustration, regret or worse, bring up more questions. Our past has played its part and shaped the reality of where you are at right now. All of this really matters little. We cannot change the past or where we find ourselves now. I am where I am. The past has been written and contains many stories, events and experiences. Each of these has played a part in making the present what it is right now. To resist this serves only to divert time and effort away from the things that could make a difference.
Avoid Unhelpful Comparisons.
Whatever it is that you are working towards, it is likely that someone has provided a source of inspiration. Guru's, celebrity stars, peers, colleagues. But the thing no one actually sees is all the hard work, the sacrifice or the struggle that even these inspired individuals have gone through to get to where they are now. We only see the publicly shared information that represents the highs, the good-points and the accomplishments. Nobody really shares the downs, the failures or the difficulties, only the bits they’re proud of.
So Take Action and Just Start!
We just have to trust that if action is taken then results will follow. In yoga we call this Tapas which is discipline. Focus on starting rather than procrastinating or hoping for something better or easier. Resisting distraction and comparison, and rather focus on taking action and accepting our starting point to kick start the process of creation.
The Yogic Super Power Of Tapas
The third of Patanjali’s Niyamas is ‘Tapas’, which often translates traditionally as ‘austerity’ or ‘discipline’. The word Tapas is derived from the root Sanskrit verb ‘tap’ which means ‘to burn’, and evokes a sense of ‘fiery discipline’ or ‘passion’. In this sense, At MOVE Tapas means cultivating a sense of self-discipline, passion and courage in order to burn away physical, mental and emotional impurities, making room to achieve our greatest potential. Tapas is the fire that gets our heart pumping, illuminates our desire for personal growth and reminds us of how much we love our yoga practice!
To our amazing 2020 community, thank you for bringing the heat, the Tapas, the fire, the courage and the discipline when our community needed it the most!