In Buddhist teachings, samsara is the opposite of nirvana. Samsara is chaotic, tenuous, and emotional\u2014it’s all about the cycle of highs and lows; nirvana is stillness, clarity, and peace. On paper, we are all after nirvana, but our reality can be quite different.<\/p>\n
How many times have you sat with a friend, talking in circles around the horrible day you’ve had? You are essentially reliving it over and over again, reopening the wound each time. Simultaneously, there is a comfort in reliving this cycle.<\/p>\n
In many ways, this drama plays out in our practice. What is going to be the best spot in this room? Do I really have to move my mat? I can’t do that, how can anybody do that? Is that person doing better than I am? Oh! Here’s a part I’m good at, can anyone see me? Crap, it’s time for backbends…<\/p>\n
Your mind is designed to spin and spin and spin. To run through thoughts like lines of computer code. In some ways, we are programmed for highs and lows. The lower part of your mind is meant to constantly assess the situation. And, if it senses danger or stress, to call in the adrenaline and the cortisol to get you out of there. Even this deeply rooted evolutionary mechanism is samsara.<\/p>\n
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Elizabeth Crisci is a yoga teacher and artist in Fairfield County, Connecticut. She is the creator of Love by E, handmade gemstone mala and jewelry. She teaches in workshops, special events, and trainings in the Northeast in addition to a range of regular, weekly classes. She teaches smart and accessible yoga designed to make you feel good. She loves every minute of her work. You can find her writing and her teaching schedule on