The Yoke

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One meaning people give to the word "yoga" is "yoke." When I hear that word I used to think of two oxen joined by a heavy wooden frame so they both pull in the same direction.

An important element of yoga is the practice of connecting or "yoking" the mind and body.  Most people, if they think about it at all, think of the body as a container for the mind: keeping the body healthy is an annoying necessity, mostly to enable the mind to continue to exist for longer. We actually spend most of our time with either mind or body engaged, while the other is disengaged: working at a computer, mowing the lawn, exercising, driving the car (often both mind and body are disengaged here!). But the mind and the body together form the integrated that is you. It's not one in service of the other. And when they are working together in harmony we become more of who we are capable of being: powerful, healthy and effective!

When I hear the word "yoke," instead of thinking of two oxen connected by a collar, I've started to visualize one ox with long horns connected to a pair if reins. If one horn is being pulled one way (running on the treadmill) and the second is pulled another way (watching TV), the immense, powerful ox is brought to a standstill. But when you get those reins coordinated? Anything is possible.

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