For many of us, contemporary life has become less physically challenging than ever before. We exist in temperature-controlled spaces, rarely walk anywhere out of necessity, experience easy access to food and clean water, and challenge our bodies at the yoga studio or gym rather than exert ourselves out of need.
So it’s easy to understand why some feel that life has become too comfortable—an existence so lacking in hardship that we don’t realize our full potential. From that perspective, the remedy is seeking physical challenges—HIIT workouts, cold plunges, yoga challenges, breath holds, triathlons, and more.
Yet our contemporary existence is psychologically less hospitable than ever before. Our hyper-scheduled lives leave us overstressed not to mention overstimulated by a bombardment of information designed to incite dramatic emotions. What we need, as many argue, is not challenge and discomfort but rest and soothing spaces as a counterpoint to the psychological overwhelm.
These seemingly conflicting ideologies—more challenge versus more comfort—can create confusion as to which approach you take in yoga class.
If yoga is a practice of transformation, shouldn’t it push us out of our comfort zone? Yet for those for whom yoga is a refuge from life, isn’t the needed challenge allowing ourselves to slow down?
Unsurprisingly, the answer isn’t simple. And it’s not the same for everyone.
