Up in flames.

The parallel between life and (Hatha) Bikram yoga is astonishing. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since yoga can be described as the process one takes to accomplish a goal. Striving towards control of the mind - through the realms of the body - in hopes of reacting to the world from a more peaceful place. This is my goal. I had a particularly intense session the other day. I don't know if the temperature was higher than normal or it was overly crowded in the studio...but it was physically intense and seemingly extra hot. It's amazing to me how this experience directly reflects the difficulties we encounter in life. The floor postures during the second-half of the class always take the most stamina and willpower. Laying in Savasyna (the resting position in between each posture), I literally felt like my entire body was in flames; it wasn't painful but it was uncomfortable. My mind (the Ego part of it) kept screaming for me to get up and leave...to find an end to the discomfort. I think this bodily burning sensation, caused by the intensity of the poses, represent life's troubles, anxieties, issues and our emotional reactions to such difficulties. Our first instinct (driven by the Ego) is usually to hide or eliminate those negative feelings whether through avoidance, repression or addiction. Within the realm of doing yoga, you have the stillness and quiet to overcome those ego-driven feelings through breathing and positive energy. When I feel taxed, as in I want to run out of the studio, I allow my Higher Mind to take over. For me, the Higher Mind, or Inner Self, or whatever you want to call it, is the most authentic part of who I am. It's the inner spirit and soul, the deepest realm of being. Maybe you can call it Intuition but it's the part of you that speaks the truth. I embrace the heat, the exhaustion, the burning sensation and use the energy of breathing to maintain control and continue the practice. I repeat positive affirmations to myself and try to embrace my body in a blanket of stillness and awareness. This is the way we can all deal with those pesky situations that will happen in our lives. I think you have to embrace the troubles that happen to you, feel the emotions that may evolve but rely on the strength of your Inner Spirit to control your rapid-fire egotistical actions. This way, you can face the issues head on and overcome them with an attitude of calmness and confidence.