When we’re struggling to hold onto a balancing pose or blissfully resting in savasana, we can sometimes forget that the tradition of Yoga is incredibly old, deep and varied. Yoga has been around for many thousands of years and the spiritual tradition from which it comes is likely the oldest in existence. “Old” does not always mean “better,” but it seems that in this case it does mean that Yoga is proven and can be trusted.

The next topic in the series “Rules of Yoga, Rules for Living” is to Trust the Process. We all started out as beginners who didn’t know how to place our limbs in a yoga pose, much less remember all the names of the poses or understand the philosophy that runs through the whole system. Yoga is indeed a system that touches every part of our being—body, mind, emotions and spirit. It also gives us guidance in how to live, how to die, and everything in between.

But the beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to follow all the parts of the system in order to be part of the yoga community. Whatever aspects you enjoy will bring blessings to your life and there is never any pressure to do more. You can practice the poses, breath practices and meditations. You can explore the chakras and how yoga shifts your energy. You can study the philosophical concepts that stretch the mind to see the world, others and your self in new, surprising ways. You can walk the path of ayurvedic healing to strengthen your relationship with your body and nature.

Here are some ways to trust the process of Yoga:

• Work with a teacher you can have confidence in, one who is farther along the path than you and respectful of your abilities and interests

• Check out other aspects of Yoga that interest you by reading a book or some articles or by attending a workshop

• Begin to see Yoga as a life-long journey, not just another activity you do occasionally for fun

• Affirm the ways that Yoga informs your life even when you’re not standing on a yoga mat or sitting on a meditation cushion

Wow! Trusting the process of Yoga is very much like trusting the process of life. We are born, we grow, we make choices that take us to many different places, all of which prepare us for the quieter years at the end of our lives when we make sense of everything we have said, done and experienced. Every moment of life presents its own choices and opportunities; it is up to you to decide the next step you will take.

Well, here we are in a new year with a new set of intentions. We’ve been here before, my friend: Let’s do it again and this time, let’s get it right. “Start that diet and lose weight.” “Learn the principles of investing and make a lot of money.” “Go back to school and earn that degree.” ENOUGH ALREADY!
 
These pressures are not only overwhelming, they are also unrealistic. The Vedic tradition is clear: If you were supposed to have these things, they would be here already. Let that soak in for a moment. We are taught that the aim of life is to go out there and get what we want, basically make a way even if no way exists. But the Vedic tradition tells us: Whatever you need or are supposed to have will show up on your doorstep.
 
This is the concept of flowing with life rather than trying to bend life to our own will and wishes. This doesn’t mean, of course, that we just sit back and wait for life to happen for us; certainly we have to live our lives the way that makes sense for us based on our interests and abilities. But here’s the beauty at the core of these basic teachings:
 
When we are in touch with the flow of life both within and outside ourselves, everything falls into place as it meant to be. We don’t have to force, struggle or even be afraid. Life is always for us so we can never lose in this game of life.
 
Here are some of the ways I have been working with this teaching and maybe it will spark your own reflections:
 
√ Saying “good morning” to every new day
 
√ Approaching my work with curiosity and allowing it to shift as it needs to
 
√ Extending understanding and forgiveness toward those who have hurt me
 
√ Repeating the affirmation “I trust the flow of life”