Controlling Passion

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

This is one PASSIONATE board! Holy moly. This gets me wondering if passion and yoga are related. (of course they are)j

What I mean specifically is this:

What role does passion play in your practice?

Did you choose to practice yoga in order to better control your passion?
Did you become passionate about yoga as you become passionate about everything?
Did yoga inspire you to become passionate about everything in your world?
Is there another thought that hasn’t occurred to me?

I’m curious about this.

For myself, I am a passionate person and given to excess. Yoga helps me to focus myself and to ground myself and be better able to channel my energy wisely and productively. I did not choose yoga to master my passion, but found it a very lovely benefit. I chose yoga to help “fix” an injury, and found as I went along there were many other bits of me that needed healing that I’d been unaware of.

I don’t mean “passion” necessarily as anger, although I know many folks will think that.

So, any thoughts?

#2

Interesting question Alix! Must agree with you on this being a passionate board!

I too, am a very passionate person. My yoga reflects that passion. I am passionate in my teaching style. But it has brought much peace and contentment into my life too. So, as you said Alix, you didn’t choose yoga to master your passion but it was a lovely benefit, well I feel that also. It’s more like when I think of yoga or talk about yoga I am very passionate about it. But when I’m doing yoga, I am in the present, with focus and very content. All of this makes sense to me, but I’m sure others will read it and say…? Does LG have schizophrenia?

#3

My guru used to call it ‘fiery aspiration’. Some times he would call it ‘red hot will’. In fact, he said the word ‘[I]tapah[/I]’ implies passion.

In Yoga, we build a practice brick by brick. The net effect of all Yoga practices at the subtle level is refinement, revitalization and replenishment of energy. All siddhis we earn in Yoga, including the new-found energy, are for reinvesting in further advanced practices. It requires passion.

But there is a caveat. Attachment is a twin sibling of passion. While we are totally passionate about Yoga practices, we need to learn to be passionless towards what we achieve. In today’s times it is a difficult feat. (LG, you are OK!)

#4

Thanks Suhas Tambe. You’re OK too! And you too Alix!

It is difficult to control our passionate responses to something we love, isn’t it?

#5

Oh what good answers! Thanks guys!