“I’m not flexible enough.”
A phrase I often hear when I ask someone if they want to do yoga. Initially, it annoyed me, but now it only makes me smile… It’s the gift of the beginner to feel strong sensations and find limits quickly. But let us explore a little of what yoga can be beyond the physical aspect.
What is yoga? The word means 'to join', 'to yoke', or 'to unite. What are we uniting? “Isn’t yoga just a little bit of foot-over-head stretching?” We have the tendency to approach this practice with our Western mindset of capitalism that it is something we have to do to a degree of absolute mastery, that we have to be flexible beforehand, or think it just is something women do. FYI yoga was originally designed for men or young boys. It was used to prepare them for battle, and war. Not only physically, but more importantly mentally.
We often miss or completely ignore the numerous other benefits.
Part of the yogic philosophy, talks about the eight limbs of yoga. Without knowing them we only see yoga for what we can see with our visual perception and that is only one limb called the asana (postures). Yet, yoga can be more. If we see yoga through the eyes of only one of the 8 limbs, it is easy to jump to conclusions. The seven other limbs are just as important. We are trying to unite them to be able to say ‘I’m in yoga.’
Besides Asana, the poses, there are the Yamas in Niyames, 10 principles that help us to live at peace with ourselves, family, and our community.
Pranayama, in modern times known as breathwork, but probably more accurately translated to “breath liberation”. Pranayama will help us to establish a consistent and balanced in and outflow of our breath.
And then there are four others. Four limbs dedicated to the mind. Starting with Pratyahara, meaning drawing once attention towards silence rather than things. Dharana, focusing attention and cultivating inner perceptual awareness. Dhyana, sustaining and maintaining awareness under all circumstances, and last but not least Samadhi, the returning to the mind’s original silence and clarity. In the West, we are quick to summarize these four into the single word ‘meditation’.
Yoga can be more than just a bit of stretching. You might eventually come to the point where you realize that it’s not about the poses at all. And that they are just another tool to teach you a certain aspect of yourself. It isn’t about doing certain poses or even being in all eight limbs at once. Yoga is a skill in action and it only functions as a mirror. If you spend enough time on the mat, the mirror will show you who and what you really are and also what you're not. Yoga isn't only showing up physically, it also means arriving with your full awareness. Through consistent practice, you begin to recognize that this body of yours is the foundation of your entire experience. As you arrange and move the body intelligently within the postures, the breath, feelings, sensations, thoughts, and emotions that present themself become opportunities to observe the impermanent patterns & details that naturally draw your attention into a deep state of meditation. If ‘I’m not flexible enough’ is what you refer to when asked about starting this practice the inflexibility of your body might be your least problem.
Inspiration:
Life, my own practice & listening to my teachers.