A New Student's Revelation

Yoga encourages us to stay present on the mat and take joy in our practice: this happens in-and-through the breath and our growing expression of asana. So, this type-A personality, who has worked all his life just a bit too hard for success, discovers one day in a deep pigeon pose (ah, emotions stored in the hips!) that it's actually possible to relax and enjoy asana. It's not a moral or intellectual mandate. It's the practice, stupid. No one can do it for you; certainly not your head. "The body speaks and the breath responds," a teacher close to my heart recently told me; still, what I took away from her class was the profound impression of her joy. I thought about these words and her joy for a month, but they had no effect until three minutes into the pigeon, when the practice permitted my body to relax. Then I knew joy. It was fleeting but certain--and portends good things ahead.