Real depth doesn’t come from sheer force (grunt yoga),
but from the delicate art of balancing effort and surrender.
“Effortless effort”, as described by B.K.S. Iyengar, refers to a state of yoga practice where physical exertion (stability) is balanced with a calm, focused mind (ease). Interestingly, when we practice ‘grunt’ yoga, which entails striving and driving ourselves to get into deeper and deeper expressions of each pose, we miss out on the true essence of a yoga practice. When we are able to balance effort with ease, our true reward is deeper awareness and connection to the pose, to our inner being, and to the mysteries of life.
Effortless effort is not about collapsing into the easy poses we love most. It is necessary to expend only the amount of effort to create inner stability. The balancing act of not too much and not too little requires considerable discernment on our part. This can be very challenging at the beginner level in yoga because practitioners can be very tense and tight or flexible and weak but still demand their bodies perform beyond current capabilities. When they subsequently find themselves injured, there is a tendency to blame yoga instead of their over-achiever habits. As our mental-emotional maturity develops within the practice, we understand the importance of releasing the conditioned need to push ourselves in the pursuit of betterment and/or perfection. Cultivating this habit of non-attachment reveals how much less willful effort is required and how much more energy we have for all the other aspects of our lives.
To illustrate the above point, when we first tried Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog), the effort required to hold the pose and the physical sensations were likely significant. Although AMS is considered a resting pose, rarely does it feel so for beginners. As the body begins to lengthen and strengthen, the intense sensations and effort reduce providing a space where one’s awareness can contemplate the experience of mind, breath, and body. This state of effortless effort, where we operate with steadiness and comfort, continues to deepen our inner connection making available to us the intuitive wisdom of our true self and the bliss-filled grace of spirit. Simply put, no capacity to dance in effortless effort, no capacity to connect beyond the physical world. Having travelled in both physical and spiritual realms, I can attest that our raison d’etre is to experience both and integrate them. The more practiced we become at integrating effortless effort, the more we live in our genius and the greater our expressions of peace, love, and joy.
Growing from youthful inquiry into elderly wisdom is a process of purification and refinement. Adapting effortless effort as your modus operandi brings forth what you need in each moment to guide you into your truth.
Refinement
In the past, change meant shifting identities,
a dramatic transformation as might occur
if a ruby were to become a diamond.
On the surface, both gems express twinned
natures, sharing facets and carets, but not colour.
At their core, rests their true uniqueness.
Ancient alchemy altered core properties into gold.
Today, change does not alter identity’s face.
Instead, already existing facets are polished
to reflect inner brilliance into the outer world.
Adaptation, a necessary condition for refinement,
sees with deep awareness these inner galaxies
and embraces their infinite potential for creation.
For more yoga actions and teachings, click here. Namaste.
