The Benefits of Yoga, Meditation & Tantric Practice Take Time

One of the most beautiful and most difficult realizations that emerges from a Yoga, meditation, or Tantric practice is that it takes time to access the benefits, and the work of practice is never complete.  There are always new discoveries that must be worked with and through. There is always the possibility of refinement, and there is always more to uncover. The realization is beautiful because it points to the reason why Yoga, Meditation, and Tantra can be lifetime practices.  You will NEVER reach an endpoint. You will NEVER be done.  There is ALWAYS more!  

The difficulty, of course, is that you will NEVER reach an endpoint, you will NEVER be done, and there is ALWAYS more!  So many people turn to the practices of Yoga, Mediation and Tantra to “fix” their problems, cure their ills, and generally make their lives better.  Interestingly, the practices do just that, but in a circuitous way that is always winding, unraveling, weaving, and turning forward and backward. Yoga, Meditation and Tantra are no more linear and definitive than life itself, so if we come to the practices seeking goals to achieve and/or mastery, we are often disappointed.

I’ve talked about this before, and I will probably talk about it forever. Not for redundancy, but because it’s easy to forget.  Not to harp on it, but because I (as much as anyone) need to be reminded. Though I’ve been practicing Yoga, Meditation, and Tantra for over 28 years, I am still learning, still tripping over myself, still failing, still forgetting.  And, though I am more refined in my struggles, more aware in my moments, more spacious in my understanding, more available in difficulty, more resilient in my life than I have ever been, I need my practice NOW more than ever. 

It is easy to be lured by the gains you achieve in the beginning of a Tantric Yoga or Meditation practice, and then want give up when the accomplishments wane.  The benefits at first are huge!  Our bodies become more supple, we have more clarity and awareness, more patience with the little aggravations of life. We dip our toes into the salve of inner stillness, and we feel a renewed sense of joy and hope in our lives.  The beginning stages of practice (any practice, really) are exhilarating, awakening, and inspiring.  But, inevitably, the big gains level out, and we reach a plateau of practice where we might feel that we are not moving at all (i.e. stuck), or are even moving backwards. 

Sustained Yoga, Meditation, & Tantra Practice Evolve with Time

With sustained practice, we may find ourselves turning toward things that don’t actually feel good, and perhaps discovering we have more capacity to endure our own healing.  We may not be summiting the original peaks of our achievement, but we may find we have more endurance, more steadiness, more willingness to meet the moments as we find them. The long game of Yoga, Meditation, and Tantra is one of evolution, slow and sustainable adaptation over time. It’s a process of degrees not culminations, with each little advance becoming the indicator of the work that’s left to do.  

The practice of Yoga, Meditation and Tantra teach help us unravel our orientation to achievement and perfection, and remind us that every moment in practice is a new journey where we have the ability to bring our past lessons with us, and continue the work with an openness to discovering completely new things.  When we understand this, we build connections with others who are in the long game of practice.  We share our insights and our failures, and we can remind each other when we forget or feel at an impasse.  Our friends help keep us from getting too stuck, reminding us that though these practices never come to an end, we grow, expand, shape, and form ourselves through the process of infinite continuation.

If you are ready to continue your study, explore the multitude of Yoga and Meditation programs we have to offer. We are excited to meet you where ever you are on your path of practice.