October 23, 2013

One week into the studio fall cleanse and the word in my head is discipline. As a yogi, I am well rooted in the discipline of asana practice and now I am making more disciplined choices about food. Developing discipline is not an easy, straightforward path.

Success along the yoga path is linked to the development of discipline. The fruits of the yoga are received through consistent, devoted practice over a long period of time. The results are not necessarily even perceivable at the onset.

Psychology defines this self-discipline as the ability to motivate oneself in spite of a negative emotional state. In the face of difficulty, the willpower works like a muscle, which is strengthened by carrying out the task anyway. Discipline is what guides and directs the will. The ability to discipline the self to forge ahead even under unfavourable circumstances is recognized as a key to success. Sounds a lot like what the yogis were saying.

In considering discipline, I am often struck by the sense of force inherent even in the above ways of describing it.

OPTION 1: Hatha yoga refers to the physical practice of yoga and hatha means originally to strike with force, The yogis understood the intensity needed to move along the spiritual path. Psychologists also know that a strong will can be intense. We need that intensity to light the fire of change inside us; to move us along the path.

OPTION 2: I often feel there needs to be a softer edge. I found in the linguistic root of the word discipline. Discipline shares a linguistic root with disciple and from disciple we find a linguistic connection to devotion. Discipline, therefore, arises out of our devotion to a belief, a set of practices or a person, rather than being a harsh enforcement. Traced back, the intention behind the discipline is love. When I remember that I am making the choices out of love. When we remember that, we choose to practice for the love of it.