Keep What’s Wholesome
Over the past month I’ve been reflecting on some advice that David Garrigues offered us during a discussion on injuries and pain. The advice was: “keep what’s wholesome about the practice.” Through keeping what’s wholesome about the practice we not only make our practice more safe and sustainable but we also make it more enjoyable, healing and effective. This advice also implies that we give up all that is not wholesome like striving, competition, mindlessness, judging ourselves (or others) harshly, and pushing ourselves to the point of injury or exhaustion to name a few things.
So what is wholesome about the practice? For starters there is the breath, gaze, bandha (holding in concentration), vinyasa (flowing movement), and the many postures (and their modifications) that one can do in a safe, healing and appropriate manner given one’s individual constitution and life circumstances. We can stay present while cultivating loving-kindness, patience and steadfastness. We can cleanse our bodies, minds and hearts every time we step on our mats. These are wholesome dimensions of the practice.
It is no coincidence that they all have to do with making peace with the present moment and being with things as they are (and showing up to do the work!!). Each of us knows what is wholesome about Yoga. Trust in that.
Pattabhi Jois used to say that 85% of Ashtanga Yoga is the primary series, 15% is the second series and the advanced series is for demonstration purposes only. What this means to me is that what is wholesome about the practice is right there in the primary series. In fact, I believe it is right there in Suryanamaskara A and B (the sun salutations). We can connect to the essence of the practice through our intention and our resolve to be with our breath, our internal currents of sensations, wholesome movement, mindfulness, etc.. because this is what is wholesome about the practice. Another teacher I have deep respect for, Richard Freeman, advised that we “be patient and be happy now in the process of learning”. If more advanced postures come in an organic, grounded way over time, then do them. If they don’t, don’t worry. The main instruction is to stay on the positive side of the razor’s edge – keep what’s wholesome. Enjoy!
