Yoga - connecting to a higher force

The Olympic Games are the greatest show on earth. To partake in these Games is to partake in history. The origins of the Olympic Games is a fascinating story, and having an appreciation of the birth and development of this monumental event is enough to overwhelm spectators and participants alike with a mood of awe and inspiration. 

It is interesting to note here that the Games were originally intended as an offering to Zeus, the god of gods. In fact, this notion of offerings to a Supreme Being was a prevalent aspect of bygone cultures, and survives even today in many cultures and traditions, albeit perhaps to a lesser extent or emphasis. Indeed, the study of ancient cultures and peoples often reveal a social structure that revolved around God consciousness, promoting a lifestyle that sought to connect with God in all of man’s endeavours and aspirations. The Olympic Games demonstrate a vivid example of connecting human activity with God, by offering the spectacle in honour of this Supreme Being. We find that this principle of connecting with a Supreme Being is propounded in all great scriptures of the world. 

The Bhagavad Gita offers a specific term for this principle, ‘yoga’. Yoga literally means to reconnect, or to link. In other words, yoga refers to any process that facilitates one’s connection or communication with the divinity. We may well question the need to connect with God through our actions and aspirations. The Bhagavad Gita explores this question at great length. Through this investigation, we are carried on a journey of self-discovery, addressing directly a host of penetrating and deeply affecting questions on our nature as human beings, and our role in this world. One powerful outcome of this exploration is the attainment of an awareness of our core identity and our natural relationship with God. In so doing, we experience a state of clarity and purpose that enables us to strive for excellence in all that we do, in a truly deep and sincere way. This endeavour transcends the simple mechanistic striving that is typical of someone who lacks spiritual awareness and fortitude. Such a person is limited to superficial, worldly foundations for his motivation. A spiritually enthused person, however, has an added dimension to his ambitions, because he is operating on the platform of yoga. 

The Gita describes various paths of yoga that can be adopted in any field of activity and in any circumstance in life, offering one the flexibility and capability to connect with the divine in all one’s activities. This understanding allows one to perform at his or her best, because the weakness of self-centredness in competition is not prominent enough to sabotage the wealth of focus and dedication that is found in each and every one of us. In this way, through yoga, we are able to reach our highest potential. This is certainly applicable to athletes of the Games today, for by competing in the original spirit of the Olympic Games, we do justice to God, we do justice to history, and we do justice to ourselves.

Lifestyle

George Bernard Shaw, co-founder of the London School of Economics and writer extraordinaire, said that ‘Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself’. It is a sad truth that the great majority of us idle away our lives without ever daring to chase the self that we could have been. The Olympic Games offer us a rare opportunity to dare. How so? Because we see what happens when others do it. That average guy who didn’t seem that important in college is all of a sudden walking onto a podium at the top of the world amidst the cheers of nations to receive a medal.  How did he get there, we wonder.

In following the path of dreams, perhaps the single most important consideration is that of lifestyle. An Olympian athlete no doubt has already appreciated the pivotal role that lifestyle plays in the achievement of any great objective in life, and I am sure each athlete has developed a lifestyle tailored specifically for the individual and based on the target to be attained. Nevertheless, my observations of those individuals in society who have aspired for ambitious, long term goals, reveal an all too common pitfall in the lifestyle management of the pursuant of greatness. This is the failure to recognise the immeasurable potency of spiritual nourishment as another vital ingredient in the lifestyle of success. 

There are many sources of spiritual sustenance in our global community, and I have found that they all provide incalculable benefit for one aspiring to achieve any goal in life. For instance, the Bhagavad Gita devotes a considerable portion of its treatise to lifestyle management, and how spiritual knowledge can serve to augment the pursuit of success. In particular, it discusses the concept of the modes of nature, which are influences and forces that affect our actions, ambitions, approach and ultimately the outcomes of any of our endeavours. 

These modes are called the modes of sobriety, unhealthy passion and indolence. The mode of indolence overwhelms our mood and abilities to the extent that we are unable to endeavour for success in the first place. The mode of unhealthy passion is a disruptive mode that generates impatience, lack of fortitude and wavering determination, and hence it too is disruptive to a lifestyle of success. The mode of sobriety, however, imbues us with willpower, determination, tolerance and motivation that push us toward our goals in life. 

The Bhagavad Gita explains that these modes are constantly competing with each other, influencing us through the food we eat, the work we do, the company we keep and practically every other aspect of our lives. It teaches us the means of cultivating this mode of sobriety if we aspire for any success in life, and also offers advice on practical means of defending against the other modes. In this way the Gita empowers us to pursue and attain our dreams. My discussions with successful and fulfilled members of society have convinced me that whatever our goal in life, it is vital that we adopt a lifestyle that aims toward achieving that goal, and such a lifestyle becomes complete and more effective when surcharged and nourished with the vitality of spiritual potency. 

FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real

Athletes and Fear

Failure, disappointment, setbacks and reversals are a natural part of life. Nevertheless, athletes that have trained and prepared for a monumental event like the Olympic and Paralympic Games, some for much of their life, may well be plagued by a dreadful horde of fears: the fear of losing; the fear of embarrassment; the fear of letting others down; the fear of putting in the effort and not ever getting the "payoff" in the form of success, medals, etc.; the fear of being rejected or losing prestige; the fear of making mistakes and not performing perfectly after having worked so hard; and ultimately the fear of failure. Fear and fear of failure are a constant source of stress and anxiety that sabotages athletes’ mental game and performance.  This fear of failure results in an unhealthy obsession over the possibility of mistakes, impeding the athlete’s performance with over caution, indecision and tension. Modern psychologists have termed this the “fear driven mindset.” 

Overcoming the Fear Factor

This may often seem a problem too deeply ingrained within our psyche to overcome. A useful yet unconventional aid is the age-old spiritual tools that are available from a multitude of sources and traditions across the globe, and give us the rare ability to be undisturbed in turbulent times. For example, the spiritual treaty of Bhagavad-Gita teaches us that fear is detrimental whatever our walk of life, and motivates us to recognize our fears with a view to discarding them. This ancient classical text addresses the problem of fear by equipping one with a vision of detachment, while at the same time nurturing and enhancing one’s dedication to duty and endeavor. By not compromising the pursuit of excellence, the weapon of detachment as outlined in the Gita enables one to cast aside the detrimental effects of fear and anxiety on one’s performance, allowing us to achieve our greatest potential, even in the midst of daunting adversity. 

Fearlessness

Ultimate fearlessness comes from understanding our true identity. We are more than just a score or a sport or an icon, more than the perception of other people. These are not what define us or what should drive us. If you build a house on shifting sands, in a storm your house will collapse. But if you build your house on a foundation of stone, it will stand firm through all storms. This is a world in which storms are inevitable, regardless of who we are, and we should have a firm foundation in self consciousness to weather such storms. The Gita challenges our preconceived notions of identity, encouraging us to embrace our true nature, fostering an inner strength and satisfaction that transcends the unpredictability of this world. By helping us to be happy in ourselves and with who we are as individuals, the Gita helps us to deal with fears. As Olympic athletes, you have been blessed with wonderful talents and abilities, and spiritual texts like the Bhagavad Gita can only serve to enhance your performance, and in so doing allow you to not only achieve your potential, but also to truly enjoy your experience on the greatest arena in the world. 

Try This:

• Embrace the challenges of competition instead of fearing the consequences of failure.

• Don’t dwell on mistakes or errors. Know that mistakes are a natural part of the leaning process. 

• Learn from your mistakes after the game; don’t analyze them in the middle of the game.