If you attend my classes, you’ll know that I often like to weave little snippets of yoga philosophy into them. Sometimes it’s a story, sometimes a question to reflect on, and sometimes a practical lesson that relates to whatever theme we’re exploring that week. I love doing this because it adds another dimension to the practice but also because it’s just really nice to share the wisdom that can help us live happier lives.
Many people probably hear the words yoga philosophy and imagine something vast, ancient and perhaps a little inaccessible. Something that belongs in old books or on faraway retreats rather than in the middle of a busy modern life. But you might be surprised to learn how practical and helpful it can be!
In fact, you might already be living some of these teachings without even realising it. Every time you pause before reacting, let go of something you can’t control or take a moment to appreciate what’s right in front of you, you’re touching on ideas that have been discussed in yoga philosophy for thousands of years.
So I thought I’d share a few simple ways you can bring some of these teachings off the mat and into everyday life.
1. Take a few conscious breaths before you respond
In the cabin, we spend a lot of time noticing the breath, and acknowledging its power to calm the nervous system and the mind. It’s an incredible tool that we have at our disposal at all times.
Try this:
The next time you receive an email that irritates you, a message that triggers you or find yourself about to react in frustration, pause and take a few slow breaths first. That tiny gap between stimulus and response is often enough to stop us acting on autopilot, and you’ll often notice that the action you decide to take may differ from the action you would have taken.
2. Notice the difference between discomfort and danger
In our Yin classes, we often explore our edge – the place where we feel challenge without overwhelm and the same principle applies off the mat. Sometimes we avoid things because they feel uncomfortable: having a difficult conversation, trying something new, setting a boundary or speaking up for ourselves. Discomfort doesn’t always mean something is wrong – in fact learning to sit with manageable discomfort can be a very powerful skill to develop.
Try this:
This week, identify one thing you’ve been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable (not unsafe). Take one small step towards it.
3. Stop trying to control the outcome
One of the teachings from the Bhagavad Gita says “you are entitled to your actions, but not the fruits of your actions.” In modern language, that means focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t. Eg. You can prepare for an interview, but not control whether you get the job. You can support a loved one, but not control their decisions. You can teach a yoga class, but not control how many people book or whether they enjoy it! When we focus on the action rather than the outcome, life often feels a little lighter.
Try this:
Choose one situation that is causing you stress. Write down what is within your control and what isn’t. Then focus your energy only on the first list.
4. Spend 10 minutes without reaching for your phone
We’ve explored this idea in Yin classes too. Many of us have forgotten how to simply be – the moment we experience boredom, discomfort or a pause in the day, we reach for distraction. I’m terrible at this – in a queue my phone comes out in seconds – something I’m trying to stop doing!
Try this:
Try setting aside ten minutes to sit in the garden, drink a cup of tea or simply watch the world go by without scrolling, listening or multitasking. It can feel surprisingly difficult at first, but that in itself is often a sign that we need it!
5. Practice Sukha and Sthira
This is something we practised recently in our Slow Flow classes. Sukha means ease and Sthira means steadiness – in yoga, we’re constantly looking for the balance between the two. Too much effort and we become tense, too much ease and we become passive.
The same question can be asked in everyday life ie. Where am I forcing? Where could I soften?
Try this:
The next time you feel stressed, notice your instinctive response. Do you tend to push harder and keep going? Or do you avoid the situation altogether? Experiment with doing the opposite ie. if you’re always pushing, try taking a break. If you’re avoiding, take one small step forward.
6. Listen before you try to fix
One of the themes we’ve explored recently in Yin is listening. Noticing the breath and listening to sensations in the body. Off the mat, we often jump straight into problem-solving mode. Eg. When a friend is struggling, we rush to offer advice, when we feel discomfort or pain, we immediately reach for a remedy instead of listening to what our body is trying to tell us. Sometimes awareness itself is enough.
Try this:
The next time you experience a headache, tiredness or stress, pause for a moment and ask: What might my body be trying to tell me?
7. Remember that everything changes
If there is one lesson that yoga philosophy returns to again and again, it is impermanence which I’ve written about a couple of times in my blog. The difficult days pass, the wonderful days pass too, our bodies change, our circumstances change, the people and animals we love grow old.
Rather than making life depressing, use this as a reminder to appreciate what is here while it is here, to enjoy the good moments and to trust that the hard ones won’t last forever either.
Try this:
Take a few moments to appreciate something that is part of your life right now – a person, pet, place or a simple routine. Rather than taking it for granted, take a moment to think about all the joy it brings whilst also acknowledging that it won’t always be exactly as it is today.
The real practice of yoga
We all spend far more time off the yoga mat than on it. Even if you attend a class or two every week, that’s perhaps one or two hours out of the 168 hours that make up a week. If yoga’s ultimate aim is to cultivate a calmer, steadier and more peaceful mind, it’s difficult to achieve that through a few hours of postures alone. That’s where yoga philosophy comes in.
The real practice begins when we leave the studio and return to everyday life – whether that’s taking a conscious breath before reacting, letting go of an outcome you can’t control, listening more carefully, putting your phone down or appreciating something before it changes.
These moments may not look like yoga in the traditional sense, but they are all opportunities to practice the qualities that yoga encourages: awareness, compassion, acceptance and presence. The postures are a wonderful place to start, but it’s often these small choices throughout the other 166 hours of the week that have the greatest impact on how we think, feel and experience life.
See you soon in the cabin!
Michelle x
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