As human beings, we share the reality of facing personal struggles, painful experiences, points in our life in which we doubt ourselves, lose hope, feel lost. At times we can become so bombarded with these facets of life, that it even becomes difficult to clearly see what's actually happening. In such situations, we “can't see the forest for the trees”, so to speak.

Peruse any magazine, ad, or description of yoga, and you will likely discover a selection of statements describing its benefits for health, relaxation, weight management, etc. These physical health benefits are excellent and not to be undermined, yet the value yoga provides in stabilizing one's inner strength, and helping to gracefully surf the waves of life, is a gem often overlooked.

It could easily be agreed that as a species, our general propensity involves the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain. This quest paradoxically increases our experience of pain, as duality is the nature of life, which serves us an endless supply of both pleasurable and painful circumstances.

The essential truth of this can be seen currently in the changing seasons, as we transition from summer into fall. Anyone can attest to the fact that life is not an endless summer. It moves between stages naturally, constantly; raining on same days, crisp and clear on others, sometimes stiflingly hot… each stage serves its purpose. Consider, however, the last day of ‘bad’ weather you encountered. Did you resist, complain, let it negatively affect you because it didn't fit your image of how the day ‘should’ be? Did this possibly cause additional and unnecessary suffering?

So it is with our own individual lives.

Life is beautiful. It can be breathtaking, infused with joy, love, indescribable bliss. Similarly, it can be filled with sorrow, grief, fear, uncertainties. Duality. Both sides possess a form of beauty, yet the experience of what we classify as the more negative aspects can be destabilizing, causing an upheaval of the peace in our worlds that we so strongly wish to maintain.

Where does yoga fit into this web of experience?

During your practice (you may be more drawn to asana, sitting mediation, mudras, or something else… it doesn't matter, all are the practice of conscious awareness), the space you create provides the opportunity to step outside of whatever is happening in life at that moment, and see it from the perspective of an objective observer. In this state, you exercise the ability to let go of any identification with the process, including expectations and desires about how things ‘should be’, and simply allow the present reality to be as it is. Rather than being overwhelmed by the trees, you are viewing the forest.

Cultivating this skill in which we truly see things as they are, without judgment, without imposing our own mental conceptions on them, is useful for all experiences, but particularly difficult ones. It opens us up to the notion that each incident has value and should be embraced, including pain and struggle. We don't always need to like the situation, but by being with it fully rather than resisting it, by recognizing it as another significant piece of the puzzle, we step into the complete expression of our life, and can therefore grow, evolve, and allow all aspects of ourselves to fully develop.

Many exceptional individuals: Shakespeare, Dante, Van Gogh and Beethoven, to name a few, lived lives burdened with difficulties. Energy, whether negative or positive, is still energy. These individuals are excellent examples of how such energy holds the potential to be channeled towards the production of something magnificent.

I suggest that if you don't already, bring this intention and awareness into your yoga practice. Genuinely experiment with releasing judgments and mental expectations of situations and people (use asana and breathing as training: just watch what arises in your own body and mind), and simply see them as they are. With consistent practice, this will become easier, more natural.

Show up for life and see it clearly, AS IT IS, and it will reveal to you its full richness.

Namaste,

Amanda