Arise, great warrior!

Warrior I

It might seem strange that there is such a thing as the Warrior posture in yoga, given that yogis are known for being peace-loving and non-violent. Actually, there are three Warriors (Virabhadrasana I, II and III), strong, standing poses that are the foundation of any practice. Despite the name, however, they are not aggressive.

They are really about tuning into your internal, spiritual warrior: that part of you that chooses right over wrong, good over evil. In the Bhagavad Gita, we read the conversation on a battlefield between Krishna and Arjuna, as two armies prepare to fight; but it is clear that the universal enemy is ignorance of the self.

'Kill therefore with the sword of wisdom the doubt born of ignorance that lies in thy heart. Be one in self-harmony, in yoga, and arise, great warrior, arise.'

That said, though, I maintain that if you practise a Warrior pose before a tricky conversation, you will have a better outcome!

The authentic self

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This was the title of a workshop I went to on Saturday with the amazing Andrea Kwiatkowski, and it fitted well with the lessons I've been teaching (though I wouldn't claim to be anywhere near Andrea's level). We returned to the Bhagavad Gita, specifically Chapter 3, and more specifically still:

35: And do thy duty, even if it be humble, rather than another's, even if it be great. To die in one's duty is life: to live in another's is death.

Many's the time I turn in for bed with the thought that I've had a day of many hats: I've been yoga teacher, copy writer, music student, friend, wife, mother, head cook and bottle washer. This variety is what I love most about my life. I'm lucky enough to earn a living doing what I enjoy  and I have a lot of freedom about how I do it. Does that mean I'm leading an authentic life? I'm not sure: I still have moments when I catch myself thinking 'I don't want to be doing this'; but if we're going to be involved in society, surely sometimes we just have to grit our teeth and get on with stuff for the sake of the greater good.