Enthusiasm – The Most Important Aspect of Practice
During the recent immersion program at the Shala David Garrigues stressed the importance of practicing with enthusiasm. He went as far as to say that it is the most important aspect of practice. I couldn’t agree more. The word enthusiasm itself is very synonymous with Yoga. One definition of Enthusiasm is “great interest in a subject or cause”*. When we are enthusiastic about our yoga practice (or any other subject or cause), when we take a lively interest in it, we are paying attention. And Yoga is about paying attention as well as being with things as they are in the present moment. True yoga also requires us to work with intelligence and compassion (self-compassion and compassion for others). Does practicing with enthusiasm mean that every practice will be easy? Does it mean that we will always be (or ever be) flexible, strong and pain-free? Does it mean that negative emotions will not arise? No. However, we can still be interested in our practice and grateful for it regardless of how it looks or feels. We can truly delight in our practice. In fact, we should delight in it and enjoy the yogic journey as it unfolds. There is a great victory and joy in waking up, in seeing more clearly, in breathing fully, in living and practicing with enthusiasm. Through our enthusiasm, our great interest, we concentrate our minds (on breath, bodily sensations, gaze) and, as a result, we drop some of the stories that we tell ourselves…. a good recipe for more sukha (ease, happiness) and less dukkha (dis-ease, suffering, dissatisfaction). To use Ralph Waldo Emerson words, ”Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” I believe he is spot on. So if you want to benefit from all that yoga has to offer you, bring as much enthusiasmas you can into your practice! See you on the mat!!
