Practice as Preparation for Death
Have you heard this sentiment before? Whether or not you have, what does it immediately conjure in your system?
The first time I heard it defensiveness arose, like am I not allowed to practice for physical health, for nervous system balance, for the progression of my arm balances, for stress relief?!? I was also quite dismissive, like alright calm down. It’s not that serious. I didn’t know what to do with this idea, I didn’t know what it could mean to me. So I ignored it and stayed with my practice as I was used to it.
Thing is, it doesn’t matter how much yoga we do, or how “good” at yoga (lol) we believe we are, we’re still going to die. The purpose of all yogic practice, what sits at the heart of yogic philosophy - using the term in an incredibly general sense - is the understanding that we are not *just* this body and our accrued habitual behaviors, which include belief systems as well as actions. We are also, and maybe even most especially, that which embodies it all. This, I think, makes the notion that practice is preparation for death - of the physical body, of the bridge between body and soul, and all that is contained within them - a little easier to comprehend.
It doesn’t mean the only thing that matters is death. It just means it is eventually the boundary we will all eventually arrive at. No one gets out of here alive.
So what does matter, then, maybe, is the space between now and the inevitability of then.
To prepare for death is, more simply put, the ability to appreciate the reality that we will all meet the end of this human life. The temporal nature of our existence doesn’t devalue it. It’s the opposite. It makes it unspeakably invaluable.
Limited time gives us the gift of meaning and intention. The practice of yoga is meant to keep us deeply connected to this truth and rooted in continuous relationship with it. READ: Enjoy the shit out of this life.
It requires us to ask again and again, “what am I waiting for?”
Our practice urges us to sing, play, dance, create, say the words in our hearts. Not for what may or may not come from it but for the simple truth that it is calling for us. This is the way our heart speaks, and though we may be able to dull our ability to hear it, it never stops… until it does. So smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
However we practice, it will, or rather it CAN, carry us here. Towards freedom. And it’s simpler than we think a lot of the time. There’s no time frame, no syllabus, no checklist, no requirement for “this then that” reasoning.
Does your practice make you feel a sense of ease, a sense of connection, a sense of liberation? If yes, sweet. If not, how can you make it so?
It’s not about a delusional state of bliss all the time. Friction is of course required. Shadows will arise. The unconscious becoming conscious is an inescapable piece of the puzzle. We must remember knowledge is power. A fed demon is way less disruptive than a hungry one. And babes, I learn more and more every day demons don’t go away, they just become less powerful, less scary, and easier to have compassion for.
This is the work we were made to do. To keep ourselves clear (enough) of all that gets in the way of the ability to yoke ourselves to our highest self, to the part of us that is divine, to spirit.
Happy practicing <3