Flexible Body = Flexible Mind?

It’s no secret that the more we practice yoga, the more flexible our body gets. Paradoxically though, I’ve noticed that the more flexible in body we become, the less flexible in mind we become.

Many yogis I know first cut out meat, then fish, then dairy, eggs, gluten, processed sugar, quinoa. Other yogis (or the same yogis) don’t wear anything leather, down-filled, made in a developing country, non-organic or synthetic. Some are firmly dedicated to one yoga style or teacher, and God forbid the day they walk into the studio and theirteacher is not teaching.

The problem does not lie in making conscious choices. I’m a firm believer in asking hard questions about what are and where from the things we consume. The problem lies in not being flexible in a given situation, especially if the intentions are wholesome and there isn’t any other choice.

One of my philosophies of yoga and meditation is that we practice to cultivate a tolerance for discomfort. The very tools we use to stay calm on our mat are the same tools that keep us calm when the yoga really matters – at work, with our family, in our community.