Lessons from the Jungle: Lean into Discomfort

On the yoga retreat last week, we were faced with several uncomfortable situations. For starters, we stretched beyond our comfort zones by going into a remote jungle for a week with no internet or power or flushing toilets. On top of that, it rained most of the week, which made it even more uncomfortable – it is not every day that you constantly feel soaked to the bone and can’t seem to get dry. To add even more to the potential discomfort, we found ourselves in vulnerable situations with people that, just a few days ago, were complete strangers. 

~The River Crossing~

What I have been learning over the years and saw reflected in the yoga retreat is that it is usually the uncomfortable situations that create the biggest opportunities for growth and connection.  

Growth is uncomfortable. To grow, we have to stretch ourselves, go beyond our comfort zones in order to reach new heights and new depths. Sometimes we just have to accept and jump headfirst into discomfort in order to learn, grow, and develop lasting connections.

In our society, which is accustomed to instant gratification, we can often fall into a pattern of quickly dismissing uncomfortable situations. We try to get out of discomfort as quickly as possible with our fists clenched and our eyes jammed shut. We want to run from discomfort. 

Here are some examples of patterns I have noticed and even been in myself:

• In yoga, if we are in an uncomfortable position, we try to get out of it as soon as possible. And if we can’t get out of it, we fight the opening mentally, not allowing ourselves to soften into it.
• When we have an itch we scratch it.  If we get a message we check it. Even if it disrupts the moment we are in, we can’t stand not checking.
• We let go of hobbies or interests the minute we think we may not be that good at it.
• We rely on medicines that work immediately to ease minor pain even if it doesn’t heal the underlying issue. We don’t take the time to figure out why the pain was happening in the first place.
• We run from situations that might cause pain and heartache. We run from intimacy when it gets uncomfortable or requires work and compromise.
• We don’t speak up for fear of getting hurt or rejected. We don’t tell the truth to someone we love because we don’t want to hurt them.

It is important at times in our life to lean into discomfort, to really sit with it, and to listen to our mind and heart. Doing this, we can learn so much about our reactions and tendencies. Once we have settled around the discomfort and gotten out of the reactionary phase, we can make decisions based on presence and understanding rather than fear and the desire to run away. 

This is not to say that we should stay in a dangerous situation or put ourselves in harms way. But perhaps we can take small steps to become less afraid of discomfort and more curious. In uncomfortable situations, perhaps we can ask ourselves:  

• What can I learn from the discomfort if I leaned into it, if I tried to soften around it? 
• What is underlying reason for discomfort and why do I want to run away from it? 
• Deep down, how do I want to react instead of just letting fear take over?

In asking these questions we can uncover the life lessons that are so easy to pass by yet so powerful when we take the time to discover them.

Up next this week: more lessons from the Jungle!