असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय ॥
asato mā sadgamaya,
tamaso mā jyotirgamaya,
mṛtyormā’mṛtaṃ gamaya.
śāntih, śāntih, śāntih
Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.
Peace, Peace, Peace
It has become a stereotype for the modern yoga teacher to reuse and repeat phrases, sayings and quotes that have been passed on or discovered by them over the years. While it’s not reserved for yoga teachers by any means there is optimism and motivation in the idea of starting each day fresh or maybe it’s setting intentions for the year ahead or one that’s overused and a little vague ‘be present in every moment’.
The opportunity to start again really is in every moment and available to everyone. Whether it is restarting a conversation, wiping the slate clean on an artistic endeavour or trying different ways to better ourselves.
Sometimes we are starting something again and it’s exciting and motivating and other times it’s slow, tedious and we do it begrudgingly.
If repetition is the key to the practice then starting again is like the locksmith. How are we sure that the things we are repeating are worthwhile? How much longer will it take? How will I know when and if I am making progress? If the key doesn’t fit the lock it doesn’t matter how many times you try, it isn’t going to open. Yet if you start again, with fresh ears or eyes or advice or headspace maybe you use some degreaser on the lock or approach a different lock or get the key recut.
Repetition in yoga is essential and starting again can seem like the same idea but added with moments of recollection whether that be of your time, space and circumstance. For example repeating downward facing dog again and again will get you results over time but if I practice adho mukha śvānāsana once, then starting again with my hands on blocks I notice a difference, then I start again and take the blocks away and put my heels up against the wall I’m able to gain an insight – through repetition- by noticing the difference in feeling the body with the different props.
The 10 day silent meditation retreat referred to as vipassanā has a deep focus on repetition, not only to learn the techniques of mediation but to bring into focus how things are changing – within us – each moment. During the retreat there is recordings of S.N. Goenka who pioneered a version of the technique where he repeats: “start again…start again…start again”
Not only is the tone of voice (if you know, you know) memorable and distinct it’s the idea of not starting the meditation again but resetting the focus, the meditation doesn’t need to be repeated it’s just the mind wandered off and you start the process again.
Meditation is essential for every yoga class and in the same way your body is different today than it was last year so too your mind is different, not just yearly but every single moment. We don’t need yoga teachers, quotes or deep spiritual guides to teach us that each moment is new and that starting again gives us the opportunity to reset. Perhaps what teachers (in all their forms) help us with is that locksmith role. They help us when it’s time to start again. They take the role of someone who can either encourage you to start again or that you can ask if you should start again and maybe offer suggestions of how to do things a little different.
With each yoga class there are always going to be repetitive movements and sequences. Depending on how we feel in our body and the state of our mind the exact same sequence can be perfect for this repetition and starting again each day. Combine enough repetition and familiarity with a few new things here and there and not only does the mind and body have to stay engaged throughout but you’re able to strip away preconceived ideas about many things, firstly the practice itself but also about what it means to start again and that finding ourselves in the same situations, conversations, relationships and challenges isn’t necessarily from mindlessly stumbling into things but instead making the decisions in the right moment to start again, a little different each time if there are concerns or with a little more optimism and enthusiasms if there are positives to work on.
While for some repetition can feel like stagnation and for others variety can bring uncertainty, it doesn’t really matter what your yoga practice looks like but if you find yourself repeating movements in a mindless and distracting state then maybe it’s time to start again with a little more variety. If the variety is the constant attraction and the thing that is keeping you engaged then starting again with some simple repetitions can be more challenging for the mind than any wild āsana or crazy sequence.
Starting again doesn’t mean you have failed at something, it is the opportunity and fortune of being given another chance to improve, challenge or motivate ourselves another time.
– Doug Whittaker