Air Travel -- The Ultimate Test for the Yogi

Imagine this scenario if you will: you practice yoga daily and in your finer moments you fancy yourself the embodiment of equanimity. And then you hit a bump in the road. You're cut off in traffic. Technology fails you (think hard drive crash or interrupted Internet service). Or my personal favorite -- you spend some time in the big blue sky courtesy of the airlines (or should I say you spend more time in the airport than in the sky?). Now what? How does that hard-won equanimity hold up? Does it crack under the pressure, sending you into an emotional nose dive in which you completely forget your yogic lessons?

This is where the eco-friendly rubber yoga mat meets the road, so to speak. Being that I just experienced the joys of air travel, I'm feeling like I've recently learned quite a bit about taking my yoga off the mat and out into the world. I'm pleased to say that my yoga practice is working its magic on me because this same incident 10 years ago would have resulted into a drastically different reaction from me.

Although I consider myself a generally happy, glass is half full, posivitist (thank you for that awesome word Life is Good!) kind of gal, I've got what I like to call a passionate nature (yep, this is my optimistic, positive spin on a temper). I get angry. I curse (shame on me, I know!). I react. While I'm a yoga teacher, student, and practitioner, I'm still a human being.

Somehow that seems to get forgotten by folks who know about my yoga background and they focus on the former. I get the whole "yogis don't get upset" speech. On the contrary folks -- we do. Just to dispel that nasty little rumor -- yogis aren't robots (insert robotic monotone voice here: "My name is Diane. I love yoga. Nothing phases me. Namaste."). We have feelings. Our aim is to not let those feelings control us, is all. We practice so that we're less reactive. Sometimes we're successful and other times...well, not so much.

A few days ago, I stepped up to the check-in desk at 5:30AM only to find that my flight was delayed for over 3 hours, which meant I would miss my connecting flight and ultimately fail to get to my final destination even close to the time originally planned. After playing a little re-routing roulette on the computer, the airline representative informed me that I would arrive 5 1/2 hours later than orginally planned.

And there it was -- my yogi moment. Do I freak out, start cursing, yell at the airline representative, complain about the multitude of inconveniences and complete lack of customer service that comes with airline travel today and the injustice of it all? Yes and no.

I admit that when I first arrived at the terminal and found out that my flight was cancelled, I was not a happy camper. I did some of the above -- there was a wealth of complaining and some cursing (my mom is going to read this and then wash my mouth out with soap). I could feel my energy flagging in that moment and I thought the worst thought one could possibly think -- "this is going to be a bad day."

As soon as that thought ran through my head, I knew it was time to do a little of the unclutching that I've learned about through the years of my yoga and medtiation study. For if I kept this nasty attitude, my day would surely be awful. So I did what any self-respecting yogi would do -- I took a deep breath, let it out, and surrendered to the moment.

To make a long story short -- I had a great day. Were my layovers long -- yes. Was I tired because I had woken at 4:00AM -- yes. Did I arrive at my final destination 5 1/2 hours later than expected -- no, actually I landed 7 hours later than expected. Yet I let go of my attachment to wanting things to go a certain way and opened myself up to what was happening in the moment. I ate some yummy meals, I met some cool people, I caught up on some reading, I listened to some wonderful music, I logged quite a few steps doing laps around the terminal to keep my body moving and feeling good, and I found myself feeling more gratitude than usual when I arrived at my final destination and found that my luggage had made the trip with me and wasn't lost in some alternate luggage universe.

And as with every other situation I've encountered in life, yoga got me through. Here are some of my tactics for staying yogi cool during air travel:

• Breathe (breathe deep and breathe often) -- I can't stress enough how breathing helps in any and every situation. This time around I focused on Sitali (inhaling through curled tongue or pursed lips and exhaling through the mouth). I also recommend 4-part breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold the exhale for 4 counts), and extending the exhale (use a 1:2 ratio -- inhale for 5 and exhale for 10). These cooling breaths will relax you and help you stay cool under pressure (the sort of pressure that comes along with airline delays, being crammed into small spaces, and crowding in airport terminals).
• Movement -- It's tough to sit in terminals for an extended period of time only to sit in the plane as it sits on the tarmac waiting for takeoff clearance and then for the entire flight time. I suggest walking the terminal. It keeps the blood flowing and your energy up.
• Hydration -- Drink water, water, and more water.
• Release the negativity -- Grab a pen and some paper and get out your annoyances, grievances, frustrations on paper. Do a written dump so you can diffuse the emotional charge and move on. Rather than dwell on the negativity, get it out. I spent about 10 minutes doing a written emotional purge right after I found out about the delays. I whined, I complained, I raged, and yes, I cursed -- on paper. That meant that I got it out and no poor soul had to be on the receiving end of my initial anger.
• Take care of yourself -- Do whatever you have to do to make your time pleasurable. Bring your favorite snacks and music. Wear comfy clothes. Indulge in aromatherapy. Do some quick yoga moves/stretches when you can. Get to know a fellow traveler. Do whatever brings you pleasure (that might even mean indulging in an airport splurge like a shoe shine or a pedicure or paying a fee to get into an airline lounge). If you're going to be stuck in a situation that you aren't all that thrilled with, you might as well make the best of it.
• Get a reality check -- When something frustrating happens I always remind myself that it could always be worse. Delayed travel is about invonenience, not life or death. Keep it in perspective and be grateful that things aren't worse.

And for specific yoga routines for travelers, I recommend:

• Yoga for the Weary Traveler -- a free 18-minute online class from the folks over at Yoga Today. This is a wonderful practice for when you finaly get to your destination.
• Yoga for Travelers -- try this routine from the folks over at iYogaLife to work out the kinks acquired by squeezing your body into too tight places for too long a period of time.
• 6 Movements of the Spine -- You can do this while seated in the terminal (or on the plane for that matter). Start with spinal twists (put your hand on the opposite knee and gently twist to the side). Sit up straight in your seat (you can come to sit on the edge of the seat) with your palms resting on your thighs and arch and round your spine. Interlace your hands and place them at the base of your skull. Inhale and then exhale over to the side (elbow drops towards the ground). Finish this off by pulling alternate knees to the chest for 5 breaths.

My ego longs to fancy myself the embodiment of equanimity after this travel experience. I know better though. What I truly embody is the realization that yoga helps. When I keep my yogic head about me, I come back to feeling without reacting. That and some deep breaths is all I really need to help me conquer everything from airline travel to major life shake-ups. I'm grateful that I surrendered to my yoga training rather than the alternative. I'm grateful that I (and my luggage) arrived safely at my destination. I'm grateful that I'm on vacation.

Now I just have to remember all of this on the flight home.

Namaste!

Comments

[Union Glashutte Watches]

I think the reality check and releasing negativity was the best advice you could give. It's really hard for me to stay calm in situations that are none other than annoying... But writing down my frustrations rather than screaming them at the 20 year old airline employee is much more productive.
-Sylvia

[Bob Weisenberg]

More great advice. Thanks, Diane.

Bob W.

[EcoYogini]

this was great- for four years I traveled a lot, I lived away and flew home twice a year. I always wanted to roll out my mat in a corner and practice- and if I weren't alone I would have done it.
I've seen some small yoga spaces in airports in Canada recently- which I think is awesome!

but also- I have used some breathing exercises to help get me through my motion sickness and anxiety during turbulence, lift off and touch down :)

[Julie]

For a different perspective, here is a youtube video that someone sent me to a couple of weeks ago about how much we take for granted in the current era:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk&feature=related

I am not very conversant with pop culture, so I am sorry if, in my ignorance, I am forwarding a link to comedian who is generally considered offensive. Regardless, I personally found what he said in this particular clip to be humorous.

[Annabellie]

This was great - thank you! I'm traveling to Europe in about a month and I am TERRIFIED of flying. I think that these tips will really help! Staying calm isn't just about not getting angry - sometimes it's about not being afraid, too.

[Beth]

I enjoy this blog and am about to go on a long air trip myself so this was helpful. I did just want to comment that if stress due to inconveniences in air travel, an unimaginable luxury to the vast majority of human beings on our planet and certainly to the over 2 billion who live on less than $1 a day, is the "ultimate test" we face of our ability to stay peaceful in the face of trouble, another way to respond in the situation might be calling to mind how extremely privileged we are and discovering some gratitude for this fact.

[Linda-Sama]

I will be in 7 countries in 9 weeks starting in January. It certainly will be a test of my dharma name, Sama....

[Hilary]

What a great post and a great blog. Thank you for reminding me that practicing yoga isn't confined to just my living room and the grass post-run. I'll be practicing yoga on my departure and return flight from the ING NYC Marathon come this fall.

[Bee]

I can completely relate to this, and many times in my life I am disappointed that 'the yoga isn't working' when I react to a situation out of habit, rather than in a 'yogic' way. Anger swells in me when things don't go as planned or people don't respond to me the way I expect. But isn't yoga so awesome, in that it allows us to just notice, to observe our reactions as they arise and help us take a step back and not take our thoughts so seriously. We are able to nip our destructive actions in the bud before we do too much damage and make the situation worse!