5 Lessons on Love that We Learn from Bikram Yoga

 

Put yourself first. One of the most important rules of love and yoga is self-acceptance, compassion, and self-love. You are worthy of love, care, and affection. You can only begin to take care of others once you have taken care of yourself. We do yoga to build a solid foundation in the body and mind that works to reduce stress and relieve suffering. We build strong relationships that will be the foundation of support and encouragement through the varying degrees of life. Being compassionate (or forgiving / understanding) with yourself and your lover are

Ask yourself:

– Do I put my own health and happiness first? Or am I working to please others?

– Am I ready to receive love? Or do I need some more time to continue working on the current issues in my life?

Be Committed. In Bikram Yoga, just like in love, it is important that you are ready to put the hours in. Being and staying motivated is essential – having the will power is the secret ingredient to any ongoing relationship. Relationships, like yoga, take work. Hard hard work.

Ask yourself:

– Am I ready to commit? Or do I have other priorities in my life right now that take precedence?

– Am I positive and motivated to put the hours in? Or am I too busy / preoccupied these days?

Be Here, Now. Staying focused and present in the current moment are absolutely essential to improving your yoga practice and caring for your relationships. Attending properly your own needs and the needs of your partner are critical to maintaining balance in and out of the yoga room.

Ask yourself:

– Am I paying attention when my lover is near? Or is my phone / laptop / business taking up my attention?

– Am I focused on what my lover is saying? Or am I easily distracted or disinterested?

Be Realistic. Expectations are our way of predicting an outcome. They can be helpful when it comes to danger or quick decision-making but can be harmful when it comes to yoga and relationships. If we expect too much, we are dissapointed. If we expect too little, we don’t improve/change as quickly as we’d like. It is important to dissolve our fantasies about love and yoga that we have gathered from our friends and teachers. Every love relationship and every yoga practice is unique – with its own unique set of problems and needs.

Ask yourself:

– Are my expecations of this relationship realistic? Or am I only focusing on my own needs and desires?

– Am I comparing my relationship to my friend’s relationships and winding up dissapointed? Or do I realize that my situation is unique and should go at my own pace?

Be Honest. Sometimes it can be hard to be straight up about how your feeling. Sometimes it’s hard to even be honest with yourself. Open communication and honesty are just as important in love as they are in yoga. If you know you are being lazy or lacking in motivation, own up to it, and take responsibility. In yoga, push harder. In love, just take the garbage out.

Ask yourself:

– Do I take responsibility for my faults and mistakes? Or do I point fingers with blame?

– Am I participating in this experience to the best of my ability? Or am I losing interest / distracted / checked out?

There are many more comparisons between love and yoga – but we just wanted to highlight a few. Finding ways to connect the two experiences can be helpful in sustaining a healthy and loving relationship. It might also give you new insight on your journey in class. We hope you have a great Valentine’s Day.

Thanks and Namaste,

BYV