The Most Impactful Life Lesson Learned Through Yoga, 1.21.25


 Someone asked me recently what I considered to be the most impactful life lesson I learned through my many years of yoga. Hands down: attachment causes suffering. Attachment to stuff, attachment to people, attachment to ego, and emotional attachment of the way one thinks life should be or should have been.

Attachment to stuff. Although many people think that stuff will make you happy, in reality, attachment to stuff leads to constantly comparing yourself with other people, always wanting the bigger and better 'whatever'. Attachment to stuff also leads to more work- more work maintaining the stuff, storing the stuff and sometimes, if it's big, expensive stuff- paying for it for many years before it is actually yours (and by then, it's not the newest, biggest and best, so you have to trade it in on the one that is and the whole cycle starts again.) The less you attach your worth to stuff, the less you will suffer. 

Attachment to people. Relationships are, obviously, necessary and honestly, the best part of life, at least to me. But if you are overly attached and clinging to another person or people, for one, you risk smothering them and alienating them from other people and two, if and/or when you lose them one day, you will suffer the loss of a part of you as well because you have attached your self to their self. Learning to accept yourself, be yourself and know that you have everything you need inside of you, already, will certainly ease your suffering from attachment. Once you live this, you will know that, even by yourself, you will be okay.

Attachment to ego. I have to admit, the concept of "ego" was a bit elusive to me until yoga training. It was there that I learned to be okay with who I am and stop comparing myself to others in order to value my worth. I also learned not to assume that someone's problem is about me. It may seem that way- but it could also only be my imagination. Their problem is most likely about them or about a situation you know nothing about. If your ego is tied up in status, you will, again, be in a continuous loop because there will always be someone who's status is higher than yours- they have more money, more education, more fame, etc. (at least in your mind!).

Attachment to the way life should be or should have been. This way of thinking is an example of emotional attachment to the past or future and not living in and enjoying the moment you are in at the present moment. 


I wasn't aware of any of these concepts before yoga training. Now, looking back, I can clearly see my own suffering. This knowledge would have prevented so many judgements, opinions, bad choices, etc. (Perfect example of emotional attachment and suffering caused be guilt and regret!) 

I also need to mention that this is not a magic formula. Yes, you will still suffer, from any or all of the above. The difference is that you will recognize it and know how to change your thinking in order to, hopefully, lessen your suffering. 

Be Good. Do Good. 

~ Juli




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