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Finding Comfort in Discomfort: A Yogic perspective
“The pain we experience in asana can reflect the state of our nervous system, just as our nervous system can reflect the state of our mind. The tension we feel in the body is often a reflection of the tension we hold in the mind.”
In B.K.S. Iyengar’s book Light on Life, he discusses the pain that arises during practice and how to deal with it. Iyengar states:
“Learn to find comfort even in discomfort.”
Two questions arise from this statement:
How does one go about finding comfort when discomfort is present?
Why bother?
1. How do we find comfort in discomfort?
If we view pain as negative, we suffer. We could reframe our thinking about pain and try to view it as positive. However, this is not ideal either. If you are deep into a forward bend like paschimottanasana and your hamstrings are letting you know so, trying to remain positive about the experience can be difficult. It will likely lead to a half-hearted practice or even cause you to give up.
We need to cultivate detachment (vairagya)
towards what we experience during practice. Being aware of our experience while neither liking nor disliking whatever it is we are experiencing is one of the core principles of yoga. In essence, it is learning to be okay with what is.
Secondly, while tension is required in the construction of an asana, there also needs to be relaxation. This is not the type of relaxation we experience when sitting in front of the TV with our feet up, but rather the conscious intention to relax and release in the face of pressure.
Abdomen, throat and face soft; long, smooth, even breath!
When we learn to cultivate detachment alongside conscious relaxation, we begin to release tension held in the brain, nervous system, body, and ultimately in the mind.
2. Why bother?
This question has partly been answered by our response to the first. With the correct approach to yoga practice, we can experience relief from stress and tension on both the physical and mental planes of our existence. This, in itself, is a valid reason to take up the practice, but we can also take it further.
When we experience pain in an asana, we make direct contact with that part of the body. Our awareness is drawn to the painful area, cultivating bodily awareness and, over time, developing sensitivity. Sensitivity is required to perceive that which is subtle. Yoga is a process through which we progress from the gross to the subtle.
We are all hardwired to pursue pleasure (raga) and avoid pain (dvesha). However, throughout our lives, we will experience a mixed bag of pleasures and pains. The pursuit of pleasure alone is futile, as is the avoidance of pain.
While we do not actively pursue pain when practising yoga, we will inevitably experience it. Providing the pain is constructive, we can welcome it and work through it. The only way out is through. Each time we do this, we create expansion and resilience in the face of adversity.
Shrinking in the face of adversity is of no use to you or anyone else. If we cocoon ourselves in comfort, we shrink and contract. Pain can be our teacher and a means of expanding beyond our perceived limits. As we develop this ability not only does it aid our experience on the yoga mat but also in life. If we learn to face challenges on the yoga mat with a calm, stable lucid mind, this in turn can aid us doing the same when challenges within our life experience arise. This is yoga's real gift, developing the ability within yourself to navigate your way through life with all its ups and downs without loosing your mind.
