Perspective, “The means of attaining cessation is the unceasing vision of discernment” – Yoga Sutra 2:26 This yoga teaching implies several things. First whatever we need to see is right in front of us. In a yoga posture especially a difficult one, it can be impossible to think of anything else but the particular asana (pose) we are in, what is happening right now. We gain a perspective on how we hold our arms, legs, feet, every aspect of our physical being if we are paying attention. Second, the power of discrimination helps us to better understand the nature of reality. In other words we can maintain perspective about what is happening, right here, right now: Where am I holding on? Where can I let go in order to bring comfort? Is my heart open, my jaw loose, my thigh steady?
Yoga practice will continue to challenge us, just as the events of day to day life can be challenging. When we learn to pay attention to the challenges, the workings of the physical body and the thoughts that accompany the mind, we learn how to be fully grounded in reality, what is happening in the present. Often a yoga teacher will guide us to open our hearts. Off the mat this can translate to transformation. When we commit to living with an open heart in all the day to day details of our lives we are indeed transformed. No longer is life happening to us, it is just happening. We become deeply invested in ourselves, our relationships, and our community because we are guided by the clarity of discernment. We are then fully able to meet whatever challenge with the love and forgiveness that accompany a heart opening. The path, the outcome is already determined; our job then becomes full participation in movement toward the inevitable outcome. So much of what we call wisdom is really just clarity of perspective. In contrast so much of what we call suffering is linked to effort and to reactions that are tied to iron-clad perspective. How easy this is to see when we hold on, the lips press together, the jaw tightens, the back stiffens… Only through cessation, release of the lips, jaw or back are we able to find steadiness and comfort.
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i can say that i have experienced this cessation in yoga just as you described - by choosing to release my jaw I was then more able to find balance in the pose - likewise when i choose to see my expectations and let them go then i am able to more fully participate in my day - the trick is to remember to do this in both these areas of my life and having people i trust to remind me of my intention seems to help.
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