Many years ago, when my professional life was focused on personal training, clients would hear me say, "consistency is the key". Getting into a groove of regular movement and choices that support optimal health relies upon making a regular and consistent choice to do so. You may have heard the saying, "you can't exercise your way out of a poor diet" and although this week's thought isn't about diet and exercise, it is about the day-to-day choices we make and whether they are supporting us in the way we desire.
In yoga, "samskaras" represent ingrained behaviors. I like to think of samskaras as "brain ruts or grooves", things we've repeated often over a lifetime, that have become the default setting of who we are. Something happens, we get triggered and without thinking we're angry, sad, anxious...you name it. Yoga teaches us how to find the gap between that stimulus and our habitual response so we have time to check in with ourselves before reacting. "Is this how I wish to be in the world? Is this in alignment with my best self?". If yes, awesome, keep going and if not, then this is the moment we can begin digging ourselves into a new groove of behavior.
Every time we sit down on the meditation cushion, step on our yoga mat or show compassion we are creating a deeper groove into the samskara we desire. A great example of this is His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. He has worked his entire life (or lives) as the Bodhisattva of compassion. His natural and automatic response to most situations is that of compassion; he has dug so deeply into this sensibility, compassion is almost always his go-to reaction.
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Cindy Rathbun, a long-time yoga student, and friend of mine. Cindy began practicing yoga with me in 2008 following a diagnosis of breast cancer. She was no longer able to practice yoga in the form she had previously known and began approaching her practice from a therapeutic perspective. She wanted to continue practicing knowing that yoga would not only deal with her fatigue and offer a form of exercise but would bring her peace of mind. The practice that evolved, centered on staying calm, focusing on breath and providing a way for Cindy to look ahead without fear.
Overcoming the fear, learning to work with it, and moving on from it was a big hurdle. Yoga provided the opportunity to sit down, breathe and clear the mind. Over the past 9 years, her practice has gotten deeper, as she has grown stronger and gained more tools for her own personal journey. "Yoga provides a chaos-free environment in which to practice kindness, find deeper connections, and a sacred, safe space", says Cindy. Positivity, centering, and believing things will be okay have kept her coming back to the mat for the past several years as she refuses to "be defined by life's bumps on the road".
At the vibrant age of 70, Cindy recognizes the need to stay physically active and at the same time accepting that the body will change over time and with that understanding, to do the best she can for where she is at this place in time. This is part of the refuge that Cindy has found on the mat, a place that is not only good for the body, but even more-so for the mind and the heart. She has found the ability to adapt her practice to what she needs and feels completely empowered to do so within a safe and supportive environment.
One of the biggest lessons that Cindy has learned from her practice is that "you don't have to be the shining star, rather look at where I've come from. You don't have to set that bar to where you can't reach it and you need to be realistic." Although yoga is not about the poses, Cindy especially loves the warrior poses as they represent who she is, standing with determination in her full beauty and strength.
Words of advice from Cindy to those who are hesitant to step onto the mat: "Find the right class and instructor. If you don't like one class, find another". On a final note, Cindy says, "Yoga has many layers and you get from it what you need. There's always more to learn and explore. And it's never too late. Yoga is about finding peace and quiet, calm in a crazy world. It's about reinforcing that you need that quiet time and you can't be running 100 miles an hour, 24/7 without being detrimental to yourself. It's knowing that it's part of my day, like brushing my teeth. It's about carving out that space for myself."
I have much respect and gratitude for Cindy and thank her for her commitment to her own practice, involvement in our yoga community and to the love she radiates so easily. Thank you, Cindy!
You can listen to the full interview by clicking on the link below. We met for the interview over lunch, so you will hear our full dining experience as well! And a fair warning, the entire interview is about 22 minutes in length.
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