One Perspective on the 60 Days of Yoga Article

Last night I read this article, posted in Habits of Introspection by Geoff Teehan. I’m sure many of you have already read it, but in case you haven’t, it’s a 3 minute read that you won’t regret. Like many of you, I found inspiration in Geoff’s words and in his story. As evidenced by the almost 1,800 people who recommended the article (as of this writing), Geoff’s reflection on his 60-day commitment to integrate a daily yoga practice into his life has struck a chord. And while his physical changes chronicled in the juxtaposed mirror-selfies taken 60 days apart almost certainly contribute to his increased sense of overall well-being, I would venture to guess that many of the ways he feels better cannot be adequately captured in a picture. It also wasn’t the yoga that did it.

I’m not saying that I think yoga is a poor way to spend your time. I wage existential wars on my psyche monthly about starting a yoga practice for myself. What I am suggesting is that yoga here is symbolic; you can substitute a number of different exercises or activities in its place. It didn’t have to be yoga. But what is evident in his words is that committing to a daily yoga practice created a paradigm shift in the way Geoff saw the world, and in the way he saw himself.

Yoga did not become another obligation for him to add to his already busy schedule. It became the catalyst, and the symbol, for how he wanted to live his life and for how he wanted to be in the world. It gave him the courage to pull himself out of the numbing, soul-sucking habits that got him through his days, and to engage fully with his experience — to live his days instead. This courage transformed his discomfort, that previously seemed unbearable, into something manageable — a small price to pay in the context of living in relentless pursuit of a value driven life.

And what my point here is, what I really mean by “it’s not the yoga”, is that it may not be yoga for you or for me that finally gives us a symbol for how we want to live, or the courage to try. I worry that if you read Geoff’s story and decided that you need to integrate yoga into your life too, you’ve missed the point. Maybe for you it’s running, or meditation, maybe it’s writing, playing an instrument, kick boxing, or cooking 60 different recipes in 60 days. There is something out there that will give you the courage to fully engage in pursuit of the life you want to live. It just may not be yoga. And that’s ok.