Weakening the Pain of Life through the Pain of Yoga

“Yoga is very painful, to start with” – Mr. B.K.S.

Iyengar

As a child growing up in New York City, this writer

was not fully mindful of his own suffering or the

suffering of those around him, who were for the most

part adults.

And the suffering and the causes for the that

suffering for those adults who were around him then is

not much different then what it is for adults around

him these days, or what it will be for people in

future generations.

We change and grow in life, but not always in ways

that are really happy or wise.

The real and imagined, and the big and small

disappointments and frustrations in life can make us

someone and something that is not at peace with

ourselves.

Others have had greater traumas and confused and

abusive conditioning to deal with, while still others

are dealing with some chemical imbalance or mental

disorder that compromises their ability to be

balanced, focused, happy or productive in a way that

brings them fulfillment.

Many are in great pain and they manifest that pain

through actions that are self – destructive or are

abusive to others.

Many deal with pain through the over – indulgence in,

and obsessive attachment and habitual addiction to

experiences through the mind and senses, many of which

though they are temporary fulfilling, pleasing or

exciting either do little or no good in getting to a

better state of mind or further unbalance us.

Sometimes we are mindful about our pain, and how we

may feel anxious about life, fear experiencing new

things in life and meeting new people and interacting

with them in a joyful, respectful and understanding

manner.

Other times our pain is more subtle, only manifesting

itself in violence, anger or rage when we have not got

what we want or in order to get what we want.

If our pain is too great we might be habitually

abusive to all, for little or no reason.

In the practice of Yoga, many people throughout the

world recognize that it is something that is good or

would be good for them to do.

If one has got involved with Yoga recently, or has

practiced for some years, one has experienced the pain

that comes with working with the body and mind in the

ways that Yoga teaches us to.

I have always admired and respected the effort of

those who come to Yoga and stick with it, because

there is a lot of pain in practicing Yoga.

And for many, the experience of the physical pain that

one experiences while doing the postures can last for

some time.

With so many other demands on our time and energy

throughout the day, to be able to come to Yoga and

practice and deal with this pain takes real diligence

and effort.

So why do people stick with it?

They learn and understand that the pain of Yoga, which

they experience while they are practicing the physical

postures of Yoga is temporary and more importantly,

see that it is assisting them in letting go of the

pain of life.

The tension in the body and the inefficient and

sluggish functioning of the organs and systems of it

are things that keep us in a state of imbalance so

that those experiences and conditioning that have made

us feel pain are more a part of our being and

difficult to see and let go of to some degree.

The lack of mindfulness about our breathing and how it

can be a tool to get us to a better place keeps us

attached to thoughts and feelings that are harmful to

ourselves and manifest themselves in ways that are disrespectful or abusive to others.

Our unwholesome and unskillful use of our leisure time compromises our energy and mindfulness so that it is

 difficult to work on ourselves in other ways that will open up new avenues to joy and balance in all of the things

 that we do in life.

This idea and experience of pain in life is something

that for some becomes more intense as we get older.

But also many in their youth are dealing with drug and

drink addiction, unhealthy thoughts, tendencies and

habits as regards sex, and overwhelmed by anxiety and confusion, as they struggle to find out who they are

 and how they can and should be as human beings.

The holistic practice of Yoga is something that can

assist all people in dealing with their pain in life.

As the great proponent and promoter of Yoga, Mr.

B.K.S. Iyengar reminds us, the pain of Yoga lasts for

only a short time and then it is replaced by other

things that are also weakening and alleviating the

pain in life, such as an enthusiasm for practice, an understanding of one’s duties and responsibilities in life

 and the ability to joyfully perform them with appreciation and experiences of peace and insightful realizations

 as a result of practice.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)