Lessons Learned in Yoga

I did a really interesting yoga session recently where the instructor talked about how we react when we meet resistance in a stretch or pose. It was interesting because it relates to business and life in general not just yoga practice.

She told us about one of two ways that most people react when they meet resistance:

1. Shy away or hide from it and try to avoid it.

She got us thinking about when a pose is mentioned and we groan because we hate it. The result? We don’t attempt it. Remember from an earlier post of mine how yoga teaches us that it’s not what we accomplish that represents success but that we attempt it. My groan pose is the headstand because it is so painful to the top of my head.

What makes you groan when you’re asked to do it? How do you deal with it?

2. Push through or drive yourself through it and into the pain barrier to beat the resistance.

The problem when you do this is that pushing against resistance makes it push back. That shows up as tightened muscles and even pain. It’s very hard to advance the stretch when your muscles are all tight. That’s probably true in other areas of life and business too. When you drive yourself to do something and you’re finding it hard, the harder you try the harder it becomes – right? Then when you walk away suddenly it all becomes clear. Sound familiar?

But today I learnt there is another way, the third way:

3. Meet the resistance (which in yoga is called the edge). When you meet your edge you stop. You don’t push through it. Stop and breathe into the resistance until the body relaxes and then lets you go further until you meet your next edge.

If you still feel resistance, come back from the edge and revert from the breath back to the physical body. Consider where your body is tense. Relax that area and go back and meet the edge again. Rinse and repeat. We carry a lot of tension in our jaw so next time you’re feeling resistance in whatever you’re doing check and see if your jaw is tense.

The key learn was that resistance is an opportunity for growth.

I’m going to be using this technique a lot more in my daily life and definitely in business. I’m going to be a lot more yogic in my approach. Sound ‘woo-woo’? Not if it allows you to grow and attempt more. You can apply it how you choose, but I strongly recommend you try it next time you meet resistance.

Do you want to achieve more and attempt more things you find difficult? If you’re answer is yes, then first, check in with yourself when you meet resistance to see what your default setting is for dealing with it. Try using method 3.

If you’d like a guide in your life and business who can help you achieve more with less resistance and without having to shy away from things or painfully force yourself through them, then book a call with me today. We will be successful together .

Just click the link here to book your free 30 minute call with me.