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by Christopher Baxter
Thomas looked at me sort of blankly and said, “Well I’m paying the doctor, it’s his job to take care of my sickness.”
“And how is that working for you”? I jokingly asked, looking into his weary face.
After we bantered about self-responsibility for a while, I asked Thomas, “Have you considered a holistic approach, perhaps starting with yoga, to help your body and mind unwind?” With a side-of-the-mouth smile, he told me that he didn’t think he would look good in red tights while trying to bend over and be flexible in a yoga class filled with women.
After a few more funny exchanges that left us guffawing, I leveled my gaze and said, “It’s up to you, my friend.” I went on to relate that without yoga and other self-healthcare practices, I literally could not have survived a two-year stressful period I was just coming out of. Not only that, but as a result of taking responsibility for my well-being, I now felt stronger and more confident in my own capabilities and more connected to my community than ever before.
Looking at me over his empty cup, Thomas agreed to consider one or two of the wellness options I suggested to him: changing his diet, cutting back on the beers, beginning a regular practice of stress-free yoga for body and mind, establishing quiet time in his day for meditation and taking regular walks on the beach, or just educating himself about body, mind wellness.
Enjoying a slow cup of coffee with my friend, I listened to him recite a painful list of breakdowns in his life. His anxiety about a possible layoff at his work, combined with a new baby, conflicts with his spouse and his own fatigue made it impossible to sleep deeply. Trying to get a little space from the pressure, he had enjoyed too many beers; adding new size and weight to his once-trim frame and bringing dullness to his quick mind. The anxiety medication his doctor prescribed added to the brain fog. Having been through a similar experience myself not long ago, I asked him what he was doing to take care of himself.
Getting Well Versus Being Well
By now, many of us have so often seen the words “wellness” and “holistic” associated with product ads, flat bellies and swimsuit models that these words no longer have fresh energy. Often equated with a well-equipped weight room, good nutrition and stylish outfits, the core message of wellness is regularly repackaged into pretty products and shapely muscles, while the essence of healthy well-being—how to develop a peaceful mind, tranquil emotions, and a happy heart—are frequently overlooked.
True wellness is a balanced state of being that results in a direct experience of fulfillment in our thoughts, feelings and actions. Embodying both health and happiness is not something we can get, but rather something that only we can give ourselves, through how we choose to live our life. This balanced state of being also includes a rich inner life of inspiration, kindness and respect for all other beings.
Yoga and Wellness
While many of us find that yoga easily delivers its physical benefits—strength, flexibility, and pain release—there is also a wealth of subtler benefits, such as a mind stable and at ease; spontaneous joy; emotions balanced and buoyant; an inner presence that is calm, confident and rested; and awareness of a deeper dimension of ourselves, where we are more at home in our heart, body and mind.
Yoga is a powerful, 5,000-year-old system capable of opening vast, untapped reserves far beyond just getting a good stretch. The deeper practices of yoga—the untapped software—develops greater concentration, awakens creative problem-solving, brings clarity of mind and clearer creativity, resulting in better mental fitness and emotional balance. It can stimulate calm intelligence and levelheaded insight, enabling yoga practitioners to live a more well-balanced, wholesome and happy life, even in the midst of these difficult times. As the longest-lasting system of wellness we have, yoga has stood that remarkable test of time for one reason: it works.
I saw Thomas a few weeks later. He found a class he was comfortable with, lost some heaviness from his mind and his body and had a fresh lightness to his step. He was sleeping a little better and felt a new confidence that he would get through his ordeal. Best of all, “My old sweat pants worked fine,” he said with a grin, “No wardrobe malfunctions yet.”
Christopher Baxter will present a 200-hour certified yoga teacher training program at Life’s Journey Yoga and Wellness Center, in Orange Park, from January to June. For more information and to register, visit Tinyurl.com/7jjmtbt.
