In pursuit of excellence

In our asana practice, do we see it as a pursuit of pleasure or a pursuit of excellence?

I posted this on twitter two weeks ago and it made some of my friends reflect back on their own practice.  I was reading an article on leadership in sport and one section talked about the purpose of sport participation.

Pursuit of pleasure refers to participating in a physical activity for the sake of fun and pleasure.  “It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game” would be the favorite cliché of someone engaging in sport for pleasure.  To put it simply, pursuit of pleasure is focused on the process of participation in one’s chosen activity.

On the other hand, pursuit of excellence means striving to perform at the highest level in comparison to one’s peers.  While it requires a very high level of dedication, sustained efforts, and great amounts of sacrifice typical of an ashtanga practice, it would also mean establishing superiority, attaining a certain status, and thus, competing with others.  Yoga stresses non-competition.  When we think of our asana practice as a pursuit of excellence, does it mean we want to show our mastery in the asanas thus establish our superiority?


In either pursuits, we as students of yoga need to acquire and practice the skills or the asanas. The pursuit of pleasure in yoga would mean focusing on the process of moving in, staying in, and moving out of asanas.  The goal is to simply focus on each breath and being contented with where the body takes us.  In sport, the pursuit of excellence is also focused on winning the prize.  In yoga, I believe that would mean focusing on the outcome and striving to perfect the asana.

So what should be our mindset? 

 Here’s what the Bhagavad Gita says:

yoga-sthah kuru karmani
sangam tyaktva dhananjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva
samatvam yoga ucyate

“Equanimity of mind is Yoga. Do everything, Arjuna, centered in that equanimity. 

Renouncing all attachments, you’ll enjoy an undisturbed mind in success or failure.”

durena hy avaram karma
buddhi-yogad dhananjaya
buddhau saranam anviccha
krpanah phala-hetavah

 “Work done for the sake of some results is much lower than done in mental equilibrium, Arjuna. 

Wretched are those motivated by the fruits of their actions.” 

– B.G. II:48-49 (translation by Swami Satchidananda)

Clearly, if we take our yoga practice as a spiritual pursuit, then if we put it in the context of the pursuit of pleasure-pursuit of excellence dichotomy, we should be more process-oriented and practice yoga for the sake of enjoyment, pleasure, or in other words, for the love of it.

But isn’t yoga a physical discipline as well?

Yes.  Because yoga is also a discipline, it has some elements of pursuit of excellence.  To practice yoga also takes dedication, commitment, and hardwork, which are characteristics of pursuit of excellence.  In order to advance in one’s yoga practice, both physical or spiritual, it would require regular, deliberate and meaningful practice, typical of the excellence pursuit.  I think here it is important to reflect on Patanjali’s words.

Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tanirodah – Yoga Sutras I:12

To master the mind requires that the we perform deliberate practice but not get attached to the outcome of such practice.  It is difficult.  At some point, we will ask ourselves why we get up early in the morning and twist our bodies in all sorts of position.  I think the key is to be clear with what we want to get out of our yoga practice.  If we take it as physical exercise for health and well-being, then some external motivation is required.  But if we practice yoga for spiritual reasons, to breathe would be enough.

***
Thanks to Au for the beautiful photo.