Yoga and our Comfort Zone

The exercise we do on the mattress is a wonderful preparation for life. It asks us to step out of our safety zone (by doing a brace on one leg, turning upside down, doing a breath hold, etc.) and yet, find and erase the initial reaction/resistance/tightness that arises and relax into this new shape. Another reason why yoga practice differs from gymnastics and mandates our presence in the pose so that over time the heart rate decreases instead of increases, the breath softens, the muscles calm down, etc. Thus, our comfort and safety zone is expanded, and no external condition (posture) disturbs the internal environment...

The times we live in ask us more than ever to be flexible, creative and adaptable. The words of the great teacher Swami Sivananda resound more and more strongly:

adapt, adjust, accomodate

Nothing stays fixed forever, change is an integral part of life... Once again, the practice of yoga, which educates and prepares us to overcome with positivity and courage an initial caveat, offers a necessary and very helpful tool in life.