Hello August
In Light on Life, BKS Iyengar writes, “Since the difficulties lie within ourselves, so do the solutions.” While much of the focus on yoga is on its physical practice, its deeper purpose is discovering those solutions. This requires more than flexible muscles; we must keep our curiosity limber, as well. But how do we stay curious? Is it simply a matter of being interested? For me, curiosity begins with recognizing that I don't have all the answers and remaining open to finding them, even when the process takes time, effort, and patience.
Whether it’s on the mat or sitting in a chair or walking down a street, the practice of yoga gives us opportunities to work on ourselves. We stretch and strengthen our bodies as much as we stretch and strengthen our mind. Some students, for example, never considered doing a headstand before; however, over time with props to give feedback and testing out similar positions, they gradually feel prepared to try. There are physiological aspects to going upside down, but the real solutions lie in wrapping your head around the preparation for and the readiness to do it. Skill alone isn’t enough; it must be combined with openness.
The same is true when we step out into the world. Living in a city, you can’t always be ready for what you will encounter. This holds true for anywhere, of course. Nevertheless, you can have an open mindset, rather than clinging to your own likes or dislikes since these change anyway. Interest draws you in, but curiosity keeps you open to the exploration. It allows you to look for alternatives when your usual approach no longer works. If a pair of shoes begin to hurt your feet, do you continue wearing them merely because you like them? You seek solutions. If a yoga pose isn’t working, do you keep doing it the same way? You seek solutions. If your interaction with another person leads to discord, do you continue to engage in the same manner? Maybe, or you could seek solutions.
As BKS Iyengar writes, there is often more than one solution. Remembering that keeps us curious.