By Maurice Johnson
-Yoga? Why?
The look that an old co-worker of mine gave me when I told them that I began to practice yoga was priceless. Just a few years prior one would’ve captured me lifting pretty heavy weights, running wind sprints in between my lifting sets, doing a mile on the stationary bike in less than 3 minutes, while feeding birds and herding cattle…. The last part isn’t true but you get the idea. My Superhuman class was in its infancy stages and it was a lot going on at the same time in there… a bit too much. However, since it was the story of my life told through movement and spoken word, it was fitting since my life was in total chaos in every category. So to put me and yoga in the same sentence, let alone in the same conversation was beyond anyone’s imagination… But yet here we are today… Namaste.
My body has been in combat mode physically, emotionally, and mentally for several years. It wasn’t a battle anymore. It was a straight up campaign of ups and downs, twists and turns with no real reprieve whatsoever. Being in such a hyperactive state began to take its toll on me in more ways than one. After some time, I became emotionally numb. I sought clarity so I eventually isolated myself from family and friends a bit. I became a bit of a drifter and in doing so, the hyperactive version of me started to subside, but the effects of time and constant beating up on myself started to weigh down on me. Pain was the price. Pain that sometimes caused me to think that something was incredibly wrong with me. Pain that left me vulnerable and useless at times. Yup. That type of pain. In public I would play it off like though I was hurting that I would be ok. In private, I worried my ass off. I was afraid. There were a few urgent care visits, I saw my doctor often, I even had a whole team working on me. A massage/athletic trainer, two chiropractors, and physical therapist and an orthopedist. One chiropractor did acupuncture so I had the best of both worlds. Some days it worked. Other days the pain was worse. My physical therapist had told me to give yoga a shot on top of the therapy I was receiving so I did.
I’m not a stranger to yoga. I’ve done a few classes here and there and at my old job they had us do workshops as part of our meetings. However, I wasn’t consistent with it enough to really progress so I didn’t progress or stick with it. When my PT gave me the order to go to yoga I procrastinated but eventually I got there. It was a basic class and I did enjoy it but I couldn’t make it as often as I wanted to because life was getting in the way (a.k.a I didn’t prioritize it) It wasn’t until I met my yoga teacher, best friend, fiancée, partner in life, etc. that my true yoga journey began. I met Jen in her office when she took over as Yoga Boutique Manager at Life Time. We were in passing when we introduced ourselves. She asked me what class did I teach and I told her about Superhuman. She asked when was the next class and I told her it was on a Wednesday morning at 5:45am. She asked me when was I going to come and take yoga with her. I said, “Soon!” Well soon went into the summer when we decided to do a collaboration class together. Jen teaches several types of yoga but she primarily teaches Vinyasa which is a flowing type of yoga that is partially guided at times and then released for the students to go on their own. And she teaches this in a heated room… Sweat much? Yup. So my first yoga class with Jen was in the middle of the summer because I had to feel out what she had to offer as far as her energy and teaching style for our class together. Great. The gift of procrastination. A heated class during a hot time of year. Yay me!... Not.
Jen has a way of speaking with a smooth, soft yet authoritative and certain tone. Her instructions are very clear and it makes it easy to follow. However, it doesn’t make it an easy practice. From that first class I made the decision to commit to that one day a week no matter what. So I dedicated my Monday evenings to yoga and it has paid off in more ways than one. I noticed things that I was able to do that I wasn’t sure I could at first. During the practice I was able to identify the noise in my head and eventually silence it in exchange for a better physical performance in the poses. When this happens I found that I was able to take even more control and ownership of my outcome. I began looking at yoga as a journey to myself. My true self. The person I’ve always wanted to be. When I came to my mat I accepted all that was and all that is in every class. When I had pain, I worked around it and took postures that I was able to take and discarded whatever postures that I couldn’t. When conditions came about where I had to really pull back (i.e. hernia surgery) I integrated my martial arts mind work into the practice and I was able to continue on with the journey. Being that yoga means to “unite or yoke” I have been able to take the lessons of the asanas and the themes of the practices and use them in my everyday life.
Since beginning my yoga journey, I’ve been able to connect more and more to people and deal with challenges in a very Zen way. Even during something as demanding as the Spartan Ultra yoga played a role in why I finished and also how I recovered. Despite being only 2 days out from the race, I decided to step up and come to the mat. And though it took me about the entire class to finally get myself up to a downward facing dog, I was happy that I came and did what I could do. From a physical standpoint it was a great way to use the heated room and loosen up from the stiffness caused by my Spartan antics. From a mindset standpoint, it was a great way to keep the process going and show myself that I can still do what I need to do in order to progress even in the subtlest way. Like Wing Chun kung Fu, and Jiu Jitsu, yoga has a hard/soft element to it in which I’ve discovered to be applicable in every day living. When I struggle in the practice at times, the switch comes on to intensify my concentration and to block out the other agents of distraction. This is the hard portion so to speak as I am actively adding a bit of fire to the practice as if I’m throwing a strike or countering a technique. On the other hand, when I want to get further into a posture I let go in my mind and my breath and I find myself deeper into the posture similar to a redirection of an opponents’ attack on me. This is the soft portion.
With this concept in practice the handling of life situations become even simpler and rather easier to deal with. The acceptance of the practice in yoga is the acceptance of what is in life. As we wake up from our natural required time out we find that life continues on. The flow of Vinyasa is constant as the flow of time and the intensity of the practice is designed to help one build as a whole. Just as in my martial arts practice I was always taught to find the flow and fluidity, all of these are concepts that transcends into life. As water may crash into a wall, surround it, rise above it, or find a crack and flow through it, we in our lives should do the same. Obstacles will always be there for us as it is within the architectural design of life to help us elevate and evolve in mind, body, and spirit. But with things that teach us how to be shapeless and pliable such as yoga, we should always find a way to continue to move with the dance of life.
After a year into my practice, I seek the obstacles in the practice so that I can dominate the obstacles in the rest of my life. Discovering the discomforts of the different styles of yoga, (and I’m just scratching the surface a bit) led me to push more by way of embracing the discomforts that I may face on a daily basis. Things like choices between resting up from a workout or working on a project deadline prompt me to choose the more difficult task because the discomfort will help me grow. Venturing into the ashtanga practice of yoga has been my recent embracing point. I have found the practice annoying as well as uncomfortable… which is why I have taken the opportunity to do it anyway even when I’m in pain from something or feeling tired. I get to challenge the noise in my head and then when its silenced, I come out on the other end elevated a little more. Thus, granting me the tools to handle various situations that challenge me from time to time.
So as I may have seemed like the least likely candidate to advocate for the practice of yoga, I most certainly do advise and advocate for this really special journey for all who seek a better understanding of themselves. The advantage of having an open mind and the previous experience of tapping deeper into the spirit does help tremendously. However, it doesn’t mean one couldn’t start to discover what lies beyond the sight of eyes. Jen once said in her class, “Yoga is everything and yoga is nothing.” Meaning you can apply the teachings and concepts to any and everything or you can simply be still and explore your thoughts and allow yourself to yoke or unite them for a better understanding of yourself. I personally look forward to my journey with yoga because as I progress the amusement of presenting the transformation of who I am to those who once knew me will be most enjoyable. And when I can for certain smile in the face of adversity and take it on and as Jocko Wilink says, “Hold the line” I know that returning to the mat is where the grounding takes place and the roots are planted.
This is yoga for me. This is why.
-An elevated soul, is an excellent soul