This week we began our time together by reviewing the final reflection projects of former graduates. This slide presentation is to support you in seeing the variety of ways you may choose to share your final reflection!
We also explored two Niyamas, Svadhyaya (self study) and Tapas (Discipline) in our continued exploration of yoga philosophy. For the practical workshop, breakout groups were invited to use templates from the facilitation guide to co create a practice for a specific population.
As you review the recording, please feel welcome to share what resonated with you! If you prefer prompts, please consider sharing your thoughts on how Svadhyaya and Tapas may be supportive topics to discuss with those you serve or how you might adapt a practice for the unique population you currently serve or plan to serve.
It felt oddly in alignment to be watching this recording on a day where I called in sick to work. I spent the last 2 weeks traveling, and then immediately came home to work and social obligations. My body responded with sickness and telling me to rest. Rest is something I have historically struggled with, feeling like I have to constantly be achieving or doing rather than just being. This was instilled into me very young. My mom was the type that only allowed us to stay home sick from school if we threw up. That was the threshold for sickness. A cold? Put some cough drops in your pocket and don’t miss the bus! This way of thinking has made me struggle to take sick days into adulthood. I would tell myself I can “push through” or “it’s not that bad.”
I think this relates to this lesson’s topic of how tapas, or self-discipline, can sometimes be harmful, and when we cross into that place of harm is where it no longer serves us. Waking up still feeling quite unwell today, I gave myself permission to stay home and truly rest and recover, knowing that I will likely recover more quickly than if I tried to “push through” and go to work. And I haven’t shamed myself once for it (woo!). Sometimes I catch myself doing that negative self-talk, saying things like, “You’re just being lazy,” or “You should at least be doing chores while you are off.” Today, I have been trying to remind myself that resting is not the absence of discipline. Rest is actually the disciplined choice because it is what my body actually needs right now.
I really appreciated the conversation around this topic and how discipline should still be rooted in compassion and grace for yourself. You shouldn’t shame yourself into behaviors just because you feel like you “have to” do something. Similar to what other folks shared in group, I also find myself doing this with my workout routine - shaming myself into a workout, or bombarding my mind with negative self-talk if I miss a workout.
I have historically thought of discipline as forcing myself to do something regardless of how I feel (shoutout hustle culture telling us “no one cares, work harder!”). But I think true discipline is having enough awareness to recognize what I need in the moment and enough commitment to honor that need. Sometimes discipline means still getting my ass to the gym when I would rather sit on the couch. Sometimes it means following through on something that is difficult or uncomfortable. And like today, it means doing absolutely nothing (besides catching up on PYP recorded lessons lol) and allowing myself to recover without rest being something that needs to be earned. The type of self-discipline that recognizes current well-being and needs with compassion and grace is what I have been actively trying to practice recently. You can still be disciplined while recognizing your humanity and changing needs.