Some examples of the questions I get from students in my yoga classes are:
- Why teach all of this philosophy?
- How does this apply to modern life?
- Why should I pay attention when you’re talking philosophy and not zone out?
To start, consider imposter syndrome. This is a common occurrence in many professionals. I’ve been there many times over my career, in my roles as a yoga teacher and also as an HR professional. Yoga Sutra 2.33 offers that awareness of one’s thoughts provides an avenue to change. Awareness of yourself means that you can work with yourself, not against; which is what imposter syndrome does.
What does imposter syndrome have to do with yogic philosophy or the yoga practice? Consider yoga sutra 2.33 वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम् Vitarka Badhane Pratipaksha Bhavanam. Otherwise known as Pratipaksha Bhavana, cultivating the opposite.
- Vitarka: Negative thoughts
- Badhane: Inhibited by
- Pratipaksha: Opposite
- Bhavanam: Cultivate
What the yoga practice invites us to do, is to be aware of when we begin to experience the dark side of things such as dark thoughts, mood changes, feeling less-than or not worthy, or a feeling that we are not in the right role, place, etc.
Practicing Pratipaksha Bhavana is a constant practice of awareness; being aware of when the abyss starts to creep in, consuming the light within. When we realize that the abyss is trying to creep in, it is time to turn on the light, so to speak, through a positive affirmation, or taking a moment to express gratitude for something, or standing strong within yourself and not just saying that you are capable, but rather offering to yourself a complete knowing that you are capable.
Cultivating this awareness is challenging. It is a something I am still working on. I think it will always be something I will work on. The more I practice yoga, meditation, and pranayama (breath work), the more I tune into myself, which is exactly what is necessary to observe my thoughts, a necessary prerequisite to practicing Pratipaksha Bhavana.
So yes, there is a place for yoga philosophy in the workplace. This is one example of how yoga can help in developing self-awareness, which will ultimately benefit you in the workplace.