Steadfast and Strong in Spring
“I am beginning to despair and can see only two choices: either go crazy or turn holy.”
― Adélia Prado, The Alphabet in the Park: Selected Poems
What does yoga practice have to offer us in times of great chaos? Among other things, stability, grounding, connection, will power, and perspective.
Think of how it feels when you stand in Warrior II. Legs wide and feet rooted, spine extended, arms outstretched, and gaze sure and strong. Just by taking this physical stance we can access the mindset of a peaceful warrior, one who is steadfast and strong, completely focused and ready to serve. Through regular practice we can access a certain reliable stability that underlies our day-to-day ups and downs.
Pranayama, or breath practice, gives us necessary tools to help downregulate the nervous system. When we lengthen the exhale, it is a way to release physical and mental tension; we clear out the dust, pollen, and particles that lodge at the base of the lungs when we breathe more shallowly. That mini-cleanse helps to bring a deeper inhale to better oxygenate the blood which has a host of benefits, including heightened mood.
When we come together to practice, we recognize our shared humanity. We all are looking for similar things in life, to enjoy family and friends, to have basic needs met, to creatively express ourselves, and simply to be happy. We want to see and be seen, support each other and be supported. Moving together brings us closer together, and as long as I’ve been coming to the Yoga Center, I have always heard students and teachers alike say they love the supportive community here.
A regular weekly practice of yoga encourages discipline. Discipline builds focus to counter all of the attention-deficit activity it feels like so much of the rest of our culture leads us toward. Discipline, focus, and will-power are things we can strengthen, things we can build. As we face so many changes on multiple fronts right now, having the will-power to choose what is compassionate and what serves life is no small feat.
And finally, perspective. When life throws us so many daily challenges, it is very easy to get stuck in personal needs and wants without looking at how our actions can affect others. It may be tempting to sink into despair when the future seems bleak. Yoga happens not just physically on the mat, but there is a rich culture of mythology and stories that can provide perspective in times of challenge. I’ll offer a short one here.
Durga is considered the great goddess of protection, strength, and power. She is well known for her ability to defeat all kinds of demons. One story tells how she defeated Mahishasura, the great tricksy, narcissistic, greedy demon. He was a shape-shifter who wanted all of the world’s beauty, power, and wealth for himself. He had taken over the entire planet so that even the moon no longer wanted to rise and the flowers stopped blooming.
All of the creatures on the earth were in deep despair and beside themselves not knowing what to do. So, they came together and had a community meeting to discuss it. The three gods of creation, preservation, and dissolution were there too – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – along with the lesser gods, humans, and animals. They decided to join forces, formed a circle and began to meditate, drawing all of their energy up to their third eyes and then sending that energy to the center of their circle, willing the great goddess Durga to appear. They knew she was all-powerful and that she was the only one who could help. When Durga arose from their circle of light, she laughed and said, “what took you so long to ask for my help?” Each of those present gave her their best weapons to wield as she went off to confront the rapacious demon.
Upon Durga’s approach, Mahishasura felt all of the power of her awesome strength, coalesced from the energy and will-power of her community, and he began shape-shifting to combat her extraordinary powers. Durga always had the proper weapon for the job and as she attempted to slay each form of Mahishasura, a bull, a human, a buffalo, an elephant; just as she would strike the deciding blow, he would change again. When she finally grew weary of this play, she took a great leap into the air and with the soft underside of her foot landed on his neck in the midst of transition. Mahishasura looked up at her and recognized her for who she was, an embodied form of dharma, right-living, and realized he was truly defeated. At that moment, the world was restored to order.
This story offers perspective in a few ways. The power of the goddess arises when she is needed, and she only comes when called upon. It is helpful to articulate your need in order to manifest the solution. Her power arises through the support of community – it is difficult to go it alone in an unpredictable world. And her strength is always enough to meet the need. When we remember that we are not alone and we are always stronger than we think we are, there is nothing we cannot do. Connecting to your source of energy, power, and love is an act of holiness.
As Adélia Prado suggests, sometimes the moment calls for a little crazy, but when we turn to our yoga practices, there is a deeper source of spiritual strength that we all can draw upon.
—Kelly Fisher
