Yoga beyond flexibility and flat abs

It’s that time of year when I again write about Yoga, hoping beyond hope that for once we don’t dilute it to acrobatics and sweating on the mat. If you haven’t read my previous rants on Yoga here are some links to get you up to speed:

• What Yoga Practitioners are missing out by not using it to enhance mental health

• 1-way people with time constraints can practice Yoga

• Two Fundamental Aspects of Yoga (And no they’re not Asana and Pranayama)

• We also have a whole lot of podcasts on this subject by some phenomenal guest speakers - all of which you can find here on the Being Meraklis Website

Why am I sharing this? Year after year, I’m still amazed by how such a powerful system of thinking is often reduced to scraps when it has the power to transform our lives.

Meraklis Musings is a newsletter that offers simple, sustainable, and actionable insights to enable busy professionals to #ThriveConsciously.

I've been an ardent student of the Indic Scriptures the last six years. Today, we deviate from the series to share my tryst with Yoga and why it's relevant, especially for busy professionals in modern life contexts.

To work with me visit www.beingmeraklis.com.

My Tryst with Yoga

I’m still a novice in Yoga. My journey began with a meditation practice that I encountered in 2018. My meditations piqued my curiosity which led me to delve into Indic Philosophy. I started with Vedanta then Yoga Sutras, and Gita. Along the way, I decided to do a teacher training course not with the intention to teach but to at least understand the broad framework of this vast system of knowledge. I began with Dhyana, moved on to Jnana Yoga, followed by Karma Yoga, then Bhakti Yoga, and now hold a little bit of everything in my daily life.

I’m a hardcore convert and I primarily credit Indic Philosophy for shaping me into the human I am today. My calm mind, clarity, ability to stay focused and persistent in my larger vision, resilience, and fulfilment all come from the many years of study and application of Yogic Principles in my daily life.

Here’s what Yoga can offer to you if you integrate it as a way of life -

#1: Yoga is the path to Clarity: The true essence of Yoga is about cultivating clarity, not just performing physical postures. That’s why the scriptures call it Yoga Darshana - Darshana means to see. To see what, see reality for what is. Not just theoretical concepts but to clear our lenses so we perceive and experience reality without our biases and conditioning. Yoga helps us gain much-needed perspectives on work, relationships, and life as a whole. What’s truly important, and what’s not? What actions should we engage in, what should we avoid? What do we pursue, what do we let go? How do we relate with people around us? These are everyday challenges that Yoga helps us find answers to.

#2: Yoga helps us find Samatvam (Equanimity): “Samatvam yoga uchyate”—evenness of mind is Yoga. As householders with demanding careers and personal relationships, our lives are nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. Every day as an adult is an adventure filled with so many ups and downs - it’s no wonder we are all collectively exhausted.

Yoga offers us a path and a practice. When we find equanimity in both success and setbacks, we reduce stress, conserve our energies, and channel our attention to pursuing what matters without quitting in the game of life.

#3: Yoga teaches us how to act efficiently: An entire path of Yoga, karma yoga, offers the path to efficient action. It teaches us to act with complete involvement (the Meraklis way) while letting go of our fixation on desired results. Incorporating this helps us free our minds from the anxiety about outcomes and helps us show up to do the work with everything we have.

In today’s corporate environments where layoffs are the norm and uncertainty is looming large - incorporating the principles of Karma Yoga can help us do what our roles demand without losing our sanity in the process.

#4: Yoga helps us respond not react: In our busy lives, our minds are cluttered, constantly bombarded by demands and information beyond what we can absorb or digest in any given day. This is why burnout and unnecessary mental suffering have become so commonplace.

Yoga offers us the insight and tools to step back and observe thoughts, emotions, and reactions without immediate judgment. To cultivate Sakshi Bhava or witness consciousness so we can pause, reflect and consciously respond to life rather than impulsively react and ruminate.

#5: Yoga anchors our self-worth within: True success is rooted in being anchored within, not external achievements. Lasting fulfilment doesn’t come from endless chasing, but from practising “Santosha” (contentment). This involves being at ease with where we are, even as we strive for growth. This balance prevents the perpetual dissatisfaction high achievers often experience.

When we are content, we naturally pause to reflect (rather than running on autopilot, sorry I had to insert that here ;)), align actions with our core values and live intentionally, without subscribing to the culture of constant busyness.

#6: Yoga nurtures self-compassion: We live in a dog-eat-dog world. But what hurts us more is our own inner self-talk. We all have a harsh inner critic that’s ruthless. A voice we wouldn’t employ even with our worst enemies yet we engage with it in our minds every day. “Sakhi Bhava” means befriending ourselves. Treating our mistakes with understanding and kindness can help us recover faster from setbacks and maintain motivation. Not to mention saving us precious time and energy going down the guilt and shame spiral.

Want to begin, but don’t know where?

Reach out to me and we can explore based on where you are and what can help you best on this journey of #SelfDiscovery.