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What’s your excuse?

I often joke that my job as a yoga teacher is to shoot down all of my students excuses for not practicing. You know the ones…not enough time, not enough space, too tired, no mat, the dog/cat/kid/spouse is distracting me…

In Sutra 2.1 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali offers a clear method for practice, Kriya Yoga. If you’re familiar with the eight limbs of yoga, you’ll recognize three of the niyamas (personal practices – the second limb of yoga) listed in Sutra 2.1

Kriya Yoga, the path of action, consists of discipline, self study, and faith
Tapah svadhyaya isvara-pranidhana kriya yoga

Sanskrit, the language of yoga, is concise. As such, we often need multiple words or phrases to capture the meaning of a single sanskrit word. For example, Tapas is often translated as discipline or heat. In our culture, discipline is often punitive. In the context of yoga and the sutras discipline should be enthusiastic, self directed, and for positive change. Svadyaya or self study is achieved through observation, and study of the texts. It is also helpful to find a trusted teacher or guide. Finally isvara-pranidhana, literally translates as surrender to the Divine. Implied in that meaning is surrendering from a place of fullness and having faith in something bigger than oneself.

To me, the beauty of Sutra 2.1 is that it gives us a “plan of action”. Yoga is not a passive practice. There’s a reason you’ve chosen to study yoga. Perhaps you’ve already realized that the richness of yoga and its teachings go deeper than the postures. As our practice develops, it is inevitable that we will encounter obstacles. The tools of Kriya Yoga help us navigate these stumbling blocks and keep us on the path. If you keep reading the second chapter of the Sutras, you’ll find a list of the five kleshas or obstacles. They are lack of knowledge, an over or under developed ego, attachment, aversion, and fear. Check out this previous post for more info on the kleshas.

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The Savoring Habit

I was explaining the concept of the habit loop to my class the other day. It goes like this:  a cue creates a habit and the habit provides a reward. My intention was to encourage students to look at their tendency of rushing through poses and the underlying belief that faster is better. The cue is that something needs to be done, the habit is rushing and the reward is a sense of mission accomplished. I asked them to consider the positive effects of moving slower through their poses. 

We all know changing habits isn’t easy. Especially when a habit (like getting more done or having more stuff) is reinforced and/or valued by our family, friends and society. Transforming longtime habits requires awareness and effort. Fortunately, there are tools that help us develop the ability to examine our actions and beliefs. Patanjali lists many of them for us in the Yoga Sutras.

Kriya Yoga is considered yoga of action, and is defined in the second book of the Yoga Sutras. The components of Kriya Yoga consist of the third, fourth, and fifth of the personal practices, or second limb of yoga (niyamas). They are discipline, study of the self and the texts, and surrender to a higher power (sometimes translated as faith). When considering what is necessary for habit change, the tools of Kriya Yoga can be powerful and effective. 

Discipline is needed to endure the discomfort of changing an old habit and replacing it with a new habit. Self study gives us insight into how our current actions affect us and helps us decide what we really want to change. Faith allows us to believe that change is actually possible and that we are capable of it.

In my mind, one of the most important benefits of yoga is we can practice on the mat, the attributes we would like to possess when we are off the mat. When we hurry – whether it’s through our poses or our “to do” list, we miss the chance to be truly present in the moment. Coming back to the habit loop my example was that the cue was yoga practice, the habit was slowing down, and the reward was enjoying the moment. One of my students astutely noted that there was a word for that. Savoring. To savor is to truly be in the moment, to use one’s senses fully and joyfully. To me, that sounds a lot like the goal of yoga.

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Ways to Practice

There is no one “right” way to practice. Different styles of yoga may emphasize certain aspects of practice – asana, meditation, chanting, etc – but one is not better than the other. As you hopefully know by now, yoga is not an accomplishment, or something to use to judge yourself or others. Yoga is the act of stabilizing the mind and dissolving our sense of separateness. It gives us the ability to move, think and feel from a place of awareness.

The second book in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras gives suggestions on how to practice. The first concept introduced in it is Kriya Yoga or the yoga of action. It incorporates three of the niyamas (the personal practices and the second limb of yoga). They are tapas, svadyaya, and isvara pranidhana. If you read the sutras, you’ll find these words have a variety of english translations. Now, I’m no sanskrit scholar (although I have a friend who is!) but I find that using the sanskrit word rather than the english can free me from my personal and cultural biases about certain words.

Take tapas for example. It is translated as discipline, heat, intensity, desire, austerity, or fiery passion. Tapas is an inner fire, not the heat that comes from sweating profusely or being in a warm room. My favorite definition for it is discipline that comes from the desire to achieve the fruits of yoga. Discipline is one of those words that can be charged for some people. So that’s why I think it’s important to contemplate the underlying meaning and work with them within your best understanding. It’s also helpful to realize that your comprehension will grow and change with practice and time. Which brings in the second concept – svadyaya.

Svadyaya translates as study, self study, or study of the ancient texts. I include study of (or with) learned teachers. The idea behind svadyaya in yoga is to really observe how you feel, think and respond in your yoga practice. It’s useful to read and learn from others but ultimately you are your best authority on what works or doesn’t work for you. When employing svadyaya a question to ask might be “is this bringing me closer to the state of yoga?”.

Isvara pranidhana is often translated as surrender to God (or a higher power). This was definitely the most challenging niyama definition for me. Over time, I have been able to craft a meaning that fits for me. Dedication from a place of fullness and humility is what I’ve come up with. I like to joke with my students that I don’t care what they believe in (or not) as long as they realize there is something bigger than themselves out there!

These are not rules. Think of them as suggestions, tools, or guideposts to use along the path. My advice is to try one out and see if it fits. Don’t throw it away at first glance. If something doesn’t feel right you can set it aside and try something else. Who knows, with some discipline, self study and dedication, you might notice changes that makes you want to try those things you set aside again.

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