The first experience I had naming what I now refer to as a
“Yoga Crisis” was with a Savaroopa Yoga Instructor at our 7 Senses Health
Center in Fountain Hill Pennsylvania
Most of us who teach Yoga, jump into it in the United States once
we have gotten the Asana down as far as a precise physical movement. What we
don’t expect, is that arrival at proficient physical alignment, just spurs the
beginning of internal alignment, which has to do with emotion, ego, mind and
the connection to spirit. I am reminded of the idea that the practice of Yoga
can lead to crisis, when so many say they seek Yoga to relax or help deal with
and prevent crises. Crises are not relaxing (just in case you didn't know). Yoga
does help to prevent and deal with crisis, ultimately, but, Yoga can cause
crises, or, move us along by precipitating learning in this regard.
Crises, can come about by external, non-controllable events
and circumstances (like being in a sudden earthquake), by the way we choose to
act or react to any circumstance, or, by some combination thereof. For most
people, it is a combination, and how our "self" reacts to any happening.
Yoga crises come about when the practice of Yoga collides
with self, and the stories we tell ourselves about “who” we are and “how”
others are. Note we are always somebody and others are always the way we
perceive them to act. See any possible conflict with that? A Yoga practice
leads us directly into, backs us into, and slips to us (cleverly on the side) aspects of how we are connected to others and the world, and crises occur when
our “self” collides with the “self” of others, and occurrences in the world.
I know this from being pretty bad at sorting it out, and
constantly experiencing the dregs of reacting to things. Most of us do, and will
continue to do so. It’s only been truly since the white has increased in my
beard that I’m able to separate any of this and focus on it at all.
Crises will occur until you learn from them, or, they kill
you. That’s what I said. Seems cruel… But not really. Crises reduce, not
because bad stuff stops happening, but because we no longer allow it to collide
with self, and our participation in happenings becomes that of non-attachment (which
should not be confused with apathy or lack of caring). It’s difficult to put
your hands on your self, pick your self up, and move your self to the side. Most of us
just get to the point of putting our hands on our self and picking our self up. This
leads us to examine our self, and ultimately to more and more ego, instead of
less and less. If we could just realize that we’re not really that interesting…
The only way to become your true self is to put your self
aside. That’s the ultimate purpose of Yoga. Yoga is not something you step
aside to do each day or once a week. Ultimately, it becomes who we are if we
continue its practice. Now, if you approach and someone rolls their eyes and
says, “There goes Mr./Ms. Yoga…” then we are likely still connecting Yoga and
its knowledge and practices with our own ego. I might even go so far as to say
that you might notice a great Yoga instructor, not by their charisma, but by
their lack thereof.
So, is the Yoga Crisis just a step in growth? Well, I
promise I’m not being smart, but… Personal growth might be an important part of
the journey, but we’re not really getting anywhere until we put that aside as
well. Again, personal growth has to do with ego. We can have and share
knowledge, but that is a function of the ego. Wisdom, is where we reflect the
true nature of the Universe… So guess which one this blog post is?
That’s right. It’s still just ego. You have to get to
wisdom, well, not by your “self” or any one else's…
Namaste!
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