Yoga Beyond Belief: Insights to Awaken and Deepen Your Practice

and stressful. Thenew student wants to know how much time he or she must dedicate, how much of the day this yogic endeavor will require, and how long it will take to reach the goal. I have often answered these questions by saying, “It will take the rest of your life.” This is actually good news. Yoga is not a goal at all—it is a lifelong process of living and learning that nurtures our being and that enriches the quality of our days. Realizing the significance of this insight removes unproductive pressures we may otherwise bring to our approach. We have our entire lifetimes.
    We will always have much to learn and more to develop in the ways of skill and techniques, but the essence of yoga is deeper—it is always immediate and available as it grows from refining our attunement to the flow of life, and life force. Our bodies constantly change and adjust to our internal and external states, not only day to day but through many stages of a lifetime. That is why a more meaningful practice promises no end but provides a constant journey of learning and discovering. Advancing our practice implies refining our ability to see and listen to our body on deeper and subtler levels. Cultivating this internal perception is more important than merely attaining more exotic postures. We can develop great strength or flexibility but miss the heart of the practice. I have seen some teachers, and even some students, quickly master very difficult and impressive postures. Many of their fellow students regard them with awe as highly advanced yogis. On closer observation it might become apparent that a seemingly advanced yogi may be practicing arrogantly, aggressively, or competitively, with little awareness of the subtle, internal levels of his or her experience in asanas. Someone may be able to twist into a pretzel while balancing on one finger and still be a novice who misses the heart and essence of yoga.
    Making the time for a yoga practice means to honor and love ourselves enough to dedicate time each day to our own well-being. Servingourselves is part of serving others. Only when we take care of ourselves can we have more abundant energy to give to others and to our endeavors. When a student tells me, “I can’t find the time to take out of my daily life for practice or exercise,” I reply, “Neither can I.” They usually look a bit shocked until I explain that I have quite a bit of responsibility with a lot of office work to do, projects and staff to supervise, as well as an occasional crisis to manage. Often it seems there are not enough hours in the day. I don’t have time to “take out” for my yoga practice either, and yet I keep up a regular practice. I certainly know that I have much more energy, much more quality time and freedom, and much better health than would have been possible without having allowed myself time for asana. In truth, yoga doesn’t “take time”—it gives time.
    Can we approach yoga in a way that is free of time constraints and free from unproductive pressures we impose on ourselves? Consider the old saying, “Start where you are and stay there.” Pondering the wisdom of this apparent paradox reveals the importance of keeping our attention on the moment and not only on our goals. It reveals the need to be present. Starting where you are implies tuning into your body and accepting and moving from your present state. Staying where you are implies keeping the attention in your asanas on your actual abilities in each moment of your practice. When we first start something we are infused with excitement, energy, and humility; we want to learn, we ask many questions. How do we maintain this beginner’s mind? This is the lesson we need to learn from the joy and exuberance of children. When we are young, we are filled with excitement for learning. As our knowledge and experience grow, our attitude begins to crystallize and harden into the state of mind called “I know.” All too often the more we know, the less we understand. Knowledge can harden us if we don’t keep our quest for insight alive. Keep a beginner’s mind—a fresh, questioning approach unburdened by baggage from the past.

The Long View
    Being present is balanced and tempered by keeping a long view, a lifetime perspective. Every body ages. A person twenty years of age is less apt to pay attention to this inevitability than a sixty-year-old, but the earlier we become aware of aging the more we will learn from the process. I