John’s Sunday Blog

Take it Easy?

So, we all want to feel good, yet life is not just about feeling good. There are so many factors going on that it can be confusing in the matters of energy levels, emotions, pains, pleasures and daily tasks.

When we reach a certain age the body may seem to not work as good. This is called aging and, again, certain factors come into play: injuries, genetics, lifestyles, attitudes. But most of the time it’s misuse and neglect. We all begin to notice these factors at some point and society may offer us solutions for these “problems”.

Is this a problem? In yoga we say no. It is what’s happening. So what to do? In Yoga we apply yoga Rudra and align ourselves with the broader spectrum, not just our own likes and dislikes. Yoga practice involves the transformative affects of postures and breathing. More so, we accept the formative and destructive effects of nature itself and where that’s coming from and knowledge that we are nature. Who is holding the reins here anyway? You, or the whole of existence?

When we “retire” or come to a place where we can’t physically do the things we once could, what is the advice we hear in our culture? “To take it easy.” This is wrong advice, in my opinion an outright lie. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for reducing stress, and learning how to relax within (the mind) and without (proper rest). However, a lot of our ideas about how to relax are off base and not good for the body. One example would be a movie binge coupled with processed foodstuffs. Your body is in stasis, a trance state, running a gamut of emotions, releasing neurotransmitters and hormones that move the body while it sits, whilst taking in pollution. Ok, aside from that, how does taking it easy wreck you as you age? Let’s look at “your life” simply, yoga style. Your body is your home for your journey in life. I don’t care if you have ten mansions or live in a shack! No body, no life journey. Let’s use the example of the material world, say, a new house. Not much to do at first, but as change marches on, maintaining the house to keep it livable comes into play. The roof, paint, a/c, infestation, pipes, wires, and foundation, all need addressing as change marches on. Most of us have seen a house left abandoned. It’s gone in a few short years. And here is key; the “older” the house is, wait for it…the MORE maintenance it needs. If you just take it easy and let the house rest, it will melt into the ground.

Now, let’s understand the process. Normal debilitation in our culture comes from sitting in backed chairs and not reaching or breathing. Barely reaching forward and almost never reaching above, or to the side, or behind us, while the back of the chair pushes our ribs into the belly and we breath in the chest. I’m not making this up; it’s just the way of nature. Use it or lose it. Look at the health and vitality of the rice farmers in Bali, Indonesia and Asia. Into their 70s and 80s they are bending, lifting, walking and carrying in robust health. You may say, “I don’t want to live on a dirt floor and work at dawn everyday”, and I get it. That’s where yoga comes in. It’s been a life enhancer for myself and many others who have decided to give an hour or more to the practice of mindfulness with movement, everyday.

See, the concentrated, consistent effort will create a health spiral in the body. Like house maintenance, it replaces roof tiles, fills cracks in the foundation, as well as fending off the scavengers from feeding off wastes sitting in the house. So, no farming needed. A scientifically proven, multi-thousand year method, condensed into 1 hour out of 24. Yes it takes effort. Yes it takes commitment. Yet, if you give life what it is here to do, thrive, it will shine back on you. Again we call this yoga Rudra, the link between the material world and that which powers it. Hand the reigns back over to the existence by IMITATING it and follow its rules. It’s rules are of force, friction and active power, destroying and uplifting all at the same moment. The Universe may be out of our hands but the choice for our puny bodies, well, in our own. If you’ve had consistency problems with yoga practice, that’s easy. Ask yourself, “How did I feel on days when I did yoga, and on days when I didn’t?”