Why Yoga Part 4 of 4: Yoga as a Metaphor for Life
July 10, 2009 by dr. lam
I always laughed at the mat-toting yoga fanatics in the past. Now, I have become one. Man, I must not laugh at anyone anymore. The word yoga means “union”. It is a union between mind and body. It is a union for your life as well. My yoga instructor says that “Yoga is life. It is not just a practice of your asanas (poses). It is what you carry into your life.” That can mean a lot of things but this is how I take it. First, I believe that the peace that I feel during the workout and the meditation that I practice at the end of each session are ways that I would like to conduct my life. Second, the intensity of focus that I practice should be carried into my daily activities, as I am an intensely focused guy but at peace. It is like how I practice surgery. Many people ask if I get nervous because they would if they were working on a face. I say no that I don’t get nervous but that I am intensely present and at peace. That is how I engage with each patient that sits in front of me. I am intensely present and at peace.
The other expression that I heard a month or so ago was, “Don’t just quit but modify your pose.” During half moon pose or boat pose, etc., I am dying and want to quit. I love that. My body is shaking, my sweat is streaming, and my mind is intensely focused BUT I WANT TO QUIT. I like working through the pain and getting to where I need to get. If I can’t take it anymore, I move into a modification that still keeps me going but not quitting. Sometimes, I just need to get to active child’s pose so that I don’t collapse. I think this discipline and focus as well as the desire to move forward is a great practice that trains your daily habits and can enter every nook and cranny of your life.
Namaste.
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Wow, that’s great! Thanks for sharing, Dr. Lam! I really like how you are sharing how yoga benefits one’s entire life. That’s awesome! I’m sure that it wouldn’t hurt anyone to take up a bit of yoga.
thanks for the comment heather!