Left Behind

Tanzan and Ekido were once travelling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection. "Come on, girl," said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.

Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"

"I left the girl there," said Tanzan. "Are you still carrying her?"

-Zen Story

The reason for practicing yoga is as varied as the people who choose it. What we bring to the mat is just as important as what we leave behind. My reason is not any more valid then the next persons. Some come to get more flexible, for physical fitness or for meditation. I personally go for all of the reason listed but sometimes in class certain aspects come out more than others.

Yesterday I was in class and a gentleman on a mat in front of me all of a sudden came out of his warrior II pose and started crying. I just held my pose allowed what was happening to enter my mind and pass since I had other things to think about and leave on the mat myself. I don't know if he is in the mist of a nervous breakdown or just emotionally fragile. It really doesn't matter. I have my stuff I'm dealing with and he has his and that's that.

What really struck me was another student's reaction to him and her need to share that reaction with me in class today. She, like Ekido, did not leave him behind. She was trying to get me to pass judgement on him and say "Yes I was so disturbed by him can you believe that he has the gaul to disrupt our class like that. How dare he!" I could find many other reasons to have my practice disrupted, but I choose not to. I am there to let go and get my body and mind in order in whatever way that I can whichever way is best for me. I like Tanzan had left him at the mat.

I guess the joke is on me, I have now become Ekido, I didn't leave her at the class today and many hours later I am writing about this.

We all have to look at what it is we are holding onto instead of just letting it happen without judgement. That is with other people, and just as importantly, as well as with ourselves.