Stretching, not Breaking

I have been practicing Yoga for over 7 years now. Recently, during class, my instructor referenced Wolff’s Law. The law outlines adaptability of the human body, specifically the skeleton system. Bones get stronger when they’re subjected to pressure. What is interesting to me is the fact that the inverse is true as well: when bones do not experience baseline pressure, they tend to weaken. This is true for several systems in our body: after microtrauma from stress, muscles are rebuilt and overcompensate to reduce the likeliness of re-injury; neurons in the brain tend to decay if they aren’t used.

Our bodies not only endure to the stresses imposed on them, but also adapt to emerge stronger. We can select the stress we want to undertake, become stronger through the process, and prune our way through who we want to become.

Yoga acts as a metaphor for Becoming. Metaphysically, the state of Being reflects how a person's nature or behavior is at present. Becoming is a transition towards an embodiment of the desired change which demonstrates a transformative movement.

Vinyasa describes a style of yoga in which the transition between poses aligns with the breath, creating a flow from one posture to the next. Through selective stress and practice, yoga simultaneously strengthens and transforms the body and mind. Not only is it testament to the human capacity for change, but also provides tools to handle what’s presented to us, gracefully and elegantly.

We have the option for stressors to make or break us. The process of growing through the pains is what results in strength. That’s part of what we learn when we commit to this practice. It’s up to us what we learn to do with our mind when we’re in an uncomfortable situation. Yoga encourages one to notice what happens when something unpleasant comes up. To breathe into it, and know that the only way out is through.

A surprising teaching from yoga: keep your heart above your head for optimum balance.