yoga saves the day

How does yoga help us through traumatic events? Here’s my story:

For those of you who are not dog owners, imagine seeing your child run into the street while there’s a truck barreling down the road. That’s what it felt like to me 7 years ago when a stranger walked up and scared my dog so terribly that she pulled the leg off the bench her leash was tethered too and took off down the street. I was frantic, I bolted after her but before I had reached the end of the block she was out of site. We lived just a few blocks down the street so I knew that’s where she was heading but I couldn’t get there, I was crippled by shock, I wanted to melt into the side walk and weep. Halfway up the next block I did sort of, I was confused and hopeless. I knew she would have made it home already but what would she do when no one was there? I stopped running started hyper ventilating a stranger snapped me out of it when she came from the direction my dog ran off in and asked “was that your dog?” I didn’t answer I started running again but awkwardly through my heaving sobs. When I made it to the house I saw her leash wrapped around the gate post, she must have gotten caught and then broke free and, I can only imagine, furthering her panicked state. When I wasn’t there to open the door she must have taken off again. She was gone for 3 days, the worst 3 days I’ve ever had. Just before dawn on day 4 I woke to scratching at the back door, she had come home. Happy ending. So where’s the yoga?

A week ago I was out with my dog for our morning walk, we we’re coming through the park where there is nice bit of lawn and trees in the back behind some picnic tables. I often let her off her leash so she can sniff around; there is rarely anyone at the park that early. But that day there was. I didn’t see the two other dogs running towards mine until it was too late. I saw her tuck her tale under and quicken her step, I called to her but as the dogs got closer she bolted down the alley. I knew the other two dogs wanted nothing more than to play but to a dog that has been lost once and attacked by strange dogs more than once her fear took over and she bolted. This is our morning ritual so she knew how to get home and being only a few blocks away I had no doubt that’s where she was headed so I took off too. And here is where yoga made all the difference. Unlike seven years ago I wasn’t crippled by shock or grief, not in the least. In fact, being so trusting of my body and its capabilities I simply let my instincts take over. My spine straightened, my legs and arms pumped in perfect unison my breath was deep and quick but most what struck me the most was the calmness I had. Everything just dropped out of my mind somewhere deep within me I knew that if I could keep her in my site everything would be ok. In meditation they talk about having a single pointed focus, to train the mind to ignore distraction and rein in on one thought, usually the breath. That is one of the main reasons in yoga class we constantly return to the breath. Yoga can be seen as a moving meditation as well as a preparation for deep completive meditation. It prepares the body for hours of sitting in one position and all thoughts other than the breath have been dismissed. Now I am not a great yogi and my meditation practice leaves much to be desired but in those few moments of what was once a panic I saw how far I had come with my practice. And what a gift it brought me, I caught up to my frightened pooch and sat with her in the road until she was calm enough to walk home. Once we got there we sat in the middle of the house and I stroked her until she let go of her own panic and went calmly and exhaustedly to her favorite spot under the table and went to sleep. I sat there and watched her and marveled at the situation. Yoga gave me two amazing gifts that morning; one: the knowledge that no matter how stagnant I feel in my practice I am growing and two: my furry four legged child is still safely in my life.