When I tell people that I teach yoga, I often get the response, “Oh, I’m not flexible at all! I can’t even touch my toes.” My response is always “that’s a great reason to start!”
I just spent last weekend at a yoga festival taking classes with some awesome teachers, including Richard Freeman, a well-known Ashtanga yoga teacher. One of the things he said was that flexibility is of no interest to him; rather it’s the quality of the movement that is important. You can be “stiff as a board,” he said, but still bring quality to each pose, and to each micro-movement and adjustment.
I really liked the way he expressed this idea, because this is indeed what the practice of yoga is about. It’s not about touching your toes (although improved flexibility is a great side effect!), or looking good in a pose, it’s about how that pose feels. It’s about moving with intention and awareness, and learning to understand your body, even if it is indeed stiff as a board.
But yoga is not just about what happens on the mat; it’s also about cultivating that same awareness and intention in other aspects of your life. Whether it’s in your relationships, your job, or the small things like going to the grocery store, are you moving through life with quality? Does every action have intention? What are you bringing to the table? Are you aware of how your presence affects others?
Just like it doesn’t matter how flexible you are, it also doesn’t matter if you have a job that impresses people, or a flashy ring, or make good money. These things are all great, but just like flexibility, they are not the point, merely nice side effects. If you aren’t bringing that sense of quality to your life, then you are just going through the motions.
Especially in today’s fast-paced, high-tech world, we are constantly tuned in to our iphones, email, ipods, and twitter, but we forget to tune into ourselves and what is going on around us.
So find small ways to bring that intention and awareness to your life. Listen to the sounds of the city on your way to work. Close your eyes and take a deep breath at your desk. Learn to tune in and connect with yourself and your surroundings throughout your day. You will start to appreciate every aspect of your life more and find more meaning there.
Find that quality of movement in your life, wherever that movement takes you.
Let me know how it goes, and feel free to share in the comments what works for you!
