Originated from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, Yoga refers to the union of the soul with the consciousness of the spirit.
The discipline of yoga has over the years imbibed within itself a complete essence of the Way of Life and is of different types such as Bhakti Yoga (devotional bliss), Gyan Yoga(philosophy), Karma Yoga (path of blissful action) and Raja Yoga (the path of mind control). Raja Yoga has been divided into eight more parts. Yoga Asana forms an essential part of Raja Yoga.
In the Shaiva Yogic text Amanasaka, that dates back to the 12th century, there is a dialogue between Lord Shiva and Vamadeva. In the second chapter of the text, it is mentioned that the Raja Yoga will enable the yogi to be the illustrious king within himself, the supreme self.
The Raja Yoga is declared as the goal, a state of Samadhi where the yogi experiences nothing but the happiness of being undisturbed, the natural state of calmness, peace, empathy and contentment.
The Raja Yoga helps in bringing about a perfect union between the body and soul of the practitioner. The daily practice of yoga can be highly beneficial for professionals who have a stressful life.
Business and Career Lessons We Can Learn from Yoga:
1. We are all novices:
Once you start learning yoga, the first thing that may come to your mind is ‘’Yoga is pathetic’’. However, you need not have to worry. Everyone who is a novice is not likely to know the way to practice yoga properly. No person is born with inborn abilities to balance their feet on air while doing a headstand.
The same thing is applicable in case of our jobs. Just as you cannot stretch or bend or perform kapotasana like everyone does, you cannot be the best as soon as you join a firm. Therefore, a suitable alternative that you can do is to put your best effort and be modest.
Keep listening to your seniors and always seek their advice, learn how they handle their responsibilities and do it on your own. So, you will recall how you felt when you performed horribly and laughed at your own folly.
2. Don’t be afraid of The Unknown:
There are many yoga studios that are of the notion that eating healthy supplements for energy maintenance during sessions is possible by having bee pollen. So what is a bee pollen? Bee pollen is made from honeybees and is one of most healthy foods. It is rich in nutrients for the human body though only a few people know about its astonishing qualities.
So what lesson do you get here? Not to be afraid of the unknown. Though it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, it can be highly beneficial not only for you but also for your company and coworkers as well. You will then be ready to take risks and to try something different. You never know when something turns out to be splendid. Yoga teaches you to keep an open mind to accept the unknown.
3. Come out of your comfort zone:
If you are attending a yoga class for the first time, then you are likely to feel uncomfortable. But don’t just give up and leave thinking that you are at the wrong place. It is a natural part of the process.
In order to achieve your long term goals, you need to be comfortable with the unfamiliar and unknown. Then only you can achieve your dreams. So, if you try something which is strange & scary, you will feel less frightened than you would do under normal circumstances if you are a yoga practitioner.
By trying out new things, you become a more efficient individual ready to handle all possible unexpected occurrences in both your professional and personal lives.
4. Respect your limitations:
As we have stated earlier, you are likely to be an expert in all yoga poses after practicing it well. In the beginning even the easy ones will seem too difficult for you. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to pressurize yourself and try too hard.
For instance, you shouldn’t force yourself to try a pose which makes you feel painful or if it hurts you. Then it’s your body’s way of responding to refrain you from performing it.
You need to acknowledge the fact that like everyone else, you too have your own share of limits be it emotional, physical or interpersonal. Though giving yourself a slight push is okay, ignoring the limits can prove to be detrimental in the long run.
Don’t pressurize yourself with workload. You need to be truthful about what you can do to contribute as a team member. Your work will be appreciated if it is done with accuracy.
All people have their share of limitations such as physical, emotional and interpersonal. Pushing them slightly is OK but ignoring them completely will lead to dangerous consequences.
Imagine that you have committed to a colleague that you will be completing six projects within a week. Then you find out that you don’t have the time or stamina to do it. By doing so you are letting not just yourself down but also your team as well.
Therefore, be frank about what you can contribute. It will make you do more valuable things. You will improve and feel comfortable as you will be encouraged to take more responsibilities.
5. Get over your ego:
When you start with a new job or when you enter into a new phase of your life, you may not be able to perform according to your expectations. Others may be able to do much better. This is not only OK, it’s expected. Therefore, the best thing that you can do is to stay humble and give in your best effort.
Focus on the positive aspects. Ask others for advice and try to learn from them. Don’t make fun of yourself. And then, when you feel better, remember how you felt when you were failed and maintain that level of honesty.
6. Manage your energy efficiently:
Most of the people who are health conscious spend a couple of hours performing yoga. As a newcomer, you can undertake numerous yoga sessions in a week. It requires an immense amount of energy when you are doing the different postures.
Once you start attending yoga classes, start implanting a healthy lifestyle and be sure that you can take care of yourself. Adhering to regular meal timings, applying smaller rituals and moments of stillness will enable you to manage your energy.
7. Get yourself used to discomfort:
Being uncomfortable doesn’t mean that you have turned up at the wrong place. In fact, as you may have been trained by an instructor, it might mean that you are in the right place.
Though you won’t be performing yoga on a daily basis in order to gain superb flexibility, you will feel good to have come out of your comfort zone and tried your best.
Performing new challenges and trying to do new things will make you a versatile professional. You will become good at handling new, unexpected challenges both at the professional as well as personal level.
8. Be in love with what you do:
As you start performing yoga as a part and parcel of your day to day life, it is necessary to maintain your passion and intensity.
Many people fail to hold on to jobs that they love because of their failure in maintaining a balance in their day to day lives. While you may rely on your professional skills to earn your livelihood, it is essential to remember why you started doing yoga in the first place.
You can be the best teacher to yourself if you fall in love with what you do. Therefore, concentrate on your goals and intentions to bring back the true meaning of your work. It will help you to regain your focus on your passion and perform satisfactorily at the professional front.
9. Be practical:
Attending yoga classes will prove to be time consuming in the long run. After a point, you may find it tough to maintain a proper balance between your office, home and training sessions.
At this critical juncture, set expectations for yourself and be realistic about the goals that you want to achieve from the yoga classes. If you like traveling during your leisure, your yoga classes may force you to cancel all your itineraries.
You may have little time to devote to your family if you go to the gym during the weekends. Therefore, set your priorities in proper order and create a proper routine for yourself.
10. Make judicious use of the available resources:
Performing yoga on a regular basis enables you to be equipped with the proper skills and knowledge to handle the professional as well as personal life in an efficient manner. You will also come across great resources in your classmates and colleagues.
You can also make use of online resources related to yoga in order to attain a high level of perfection in any type of yoga posture that you perform. As a result, you will have complete peace of mind and be able to perform all your official responsibilities with a high level of distinction.
