Fallen City by Erol Akyavaş

by Barrie

A few weeks ago, as I sat on my couch reading about the immense scale of the devastation in Turkey and Syria, at one point it almost became too much. My chest constricted and my jaw tightened. I felt myself viscerally wanting to pull my attention away from looking at the photos and reading the accounts of the unfathomable loss and horrific tragedies unfolding there. It felt as if a dark, heavy cloud of sadness was sitting in my chest.

I didn’t want to turn away, though. I wanted to stay with the news and bear witness to the suffering unfolding for my fellow humans.

I turned to my breath. I imagined that with each inhalation I was becoming fully conscious of the pain and suffering I was reading about, and with each exhalation I was releasing it out through my heart. With my breath streaming through my body in this way, I felt my energy shift after only a few rounds. The heaviness in my chest dissipated and the dark cloud of sadness started to clear. I felt lighter, freer, almost expanded from inside.

As I continued to breathe in this way, I became more open and present to what I was reading and seeing. I felt compassion and tenderness arising from within, as if my awareness and presence itself formed a subtle bond of love and support with those who are suffering. Because in yoga, compassion, or karuna, means not only feeling empathy for those who are suffering but taking action to relieve that suffering, I also donated money to the relief efforts.

This, I thought, is how I wish to respond to the pain of the world. I want to stay conscious of the suffering I perceive, and able to metabolize the weight and intensity of it into compassion and empathy. To me, this is an example of how yoga can help us to live “expansively” even in challenging times.

Because this is the theme of my upcoming course, The Vibrant Heart: Lessons from Nondual Tantra on Expansive Living in Challenging Times, with Bill Mahony, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes it possible to find freedom in that which feels so difficult and, therefore, limiting.

It’s an intriguing notion, one that at first might seem paradoxical and counterintuitive. Yet, that’s precisely what the body, breath, and awareness-based practices of yoga are designed for—to help us access a genuine inner freedom amidst the limitations and challenges in our lives and our world. This means that we don’t deny, bypass, or ignore the difficulties. Instead, we apply the practices and understanding of yoga to reframe our experience and reorient our perspective so we can fully face them. This allows us to find a pathway forward that feels affirming and supportive. We do this not only to make ourselves feel better, but also in order to show up with benevolence for others, and for the world.

If you’re interested in learning more about how yoga can support you in navigating life’s complexities and challenges, here’s a warm invitation to join Professor of Religious Studies William Mahony, Ph.D., and me for our 21-day online course on the fundamental teachings of Nondual Tantra.  It’s designed to make the life-affirming wisdom at the heart of this tradition accessible, relatable, and above all, relevant to your life. It includes talks, guided inquiry, asana classes, live Q&A, and more.

Whether you are brand new to yogic study or a seasoned contemplator, I’m confident you’ll find precious and timely guidance in these teachings that have brought hope, meaning, and encouragement to countless seekers. The course begins March 13. Find out more and sign up here.

 

Download a free class from Barrie’s new Yoga for Times of Change companion video series and learn more about her book Evolving Your Yoga: Ten Principles for Enlightened Practice at www.barrierisman.com.

• Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and follow Nina on Instagram • Order Yoga for Times of Change here  and purchase the companion videos here • Order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being here.