"We cannot eliminate stress and tension from our lives. That is not the point. Life is of itself stressful." — B.K.S. Iyengar
This might be the most liberating thing you'll read today. While everyone else is promising to eliminate stress from your life, Iyengar told the truth: stress isn't going anywhere. But here's the good news—you can completely change how it affects you.
The Reality Check We All Need
Iyengar saw what was coming decades ago: "We throw ourselves from one endeavor to another, believing that speed and movement is all there is in life." We've created a world where being busy feels productive, where multitasking feels necessary, and where slowing down feels impossible.
But here's what most people miss: "Walking, eating, reading—everything is stress. There is nothing in this world free from stress until death." Even when you're sleeping, you're moving around because of stress. The question isn't how to avoid it—it's how to work with it intelligently.
Not All Stress is Created Equal
This is where Iyengar's wisdom gets really practical. He taught that "Positive stress is a measured response to Nature's challenges. It is constructive and does not harm the nerves. But when it is destructive, it is negative stress, which is indeed harmful."
Consider the difference: the focused intensity of completing a meaningful project versus the scattered anxiety of trying to manage an impossible workload. The challenge of learning something new versus the chronic worry about things outside your control.
The main culprits of harmful stress? "Anger, fear, speed, greed, unhealthy ambition, and competition." These create the kind of stress that accumulates in our systems, leading to what we now understand as chronic stress-related health issues.
The Secret of Real Change
Here's Iyengar's most beautiful teaching about how transformation actually works:
"When it rains heavily, the water does not necessarily penetrate the earth. If the surface is dry and hard, the rain water floods the surface and runs off. But if it rains gradually for many days continuously, and the ground is moist, then the water seeps deep into the earth, which is good for cultivation and for life."
This changes everything about how we approach our wellbeing. Sustainable change happens gradually, consistently, with patience—not through intense workshops or dramatic lifestyle overhauls that we can't maintain.
"We must moisten our muscles and nerves through the expansion and extension of the various asana. In this way, the stress that saturates the brain is diffused throughout the rest of the body." Your yoga practice literally redistributes stress so it strengthens rather than overwhelms your system.
Your Body's Innate Intelligence
"The human body is the finest machine. Millions of cells are produced every second and die out just as swiftly. The cells have their own intelligence."
Your body possesses remarkable adaptive capacity—the ability to heal, balance, and recalibrate when given the right conditions. Every time you practice yoga, you're supporting this inherent intelligence, creating the space for your system to do what it does best: find equilibrium.
The Power of Conscious Breathing
"While doing the various types of pranayama the whole body is irrigated with energy. The nerves are soothed, the brain is calmed, and the hardness and rigidity of the lungs are loosened."
This isn't abstract philosophy—it's practical neuroscience. When you engage in conscious breathing, you're activating your parasympathetic nervous system, directly influencing your body's stress response. You can access this tool anywhere: before important meetings, during difficult conversations, or in moments of overwhelm.
A Simple Stress Assessment
Want to gauge your current stress levels? Iyengar offered this practical observation: "The eyes are so close to the brain that their tension and jitteriness reflects how ragged the nerves have become through overload."
Notice the quality around your eyes right now. Are they tense and constricted, or soft and receptive? This simple awareness can become a valuable daily check-in with your nervous system state.
The Real Goal
"Keeping the brain in a receptive state is the art that yoga teaches."
This means cultivating the ability to remain open and responsive rather than reactive and defensive. It's about developing the capacity to pause between stimulus and response—whether that's a challenging email, a demanding schedule, or unexpected life changes.
"You are one with yourself and that is in and of itself a meditative state." This isn't about achieving perfection or never experiencing stress. It's about developing a stable inner reference point that remains steady regardless of external circumstances.
Your Practice as Training Ground
Every time you practice asana/postures, you're training for real-world resilience. The concentration required to hold a challenging pose, the patience needed to work with resistance, the breath awareness that keeps you present—these skills transfer directly to your professional and personal life.
"This quest for inner peace and contentment through yoga is the solution to the accumulation of stress that we experience in our lives."
Not a quick fix or magic cure, but a practical, time-tested approach to developing genuine equanimity and sustainable wellbeing.
The three S's—stress, strain, and speed—are constants in our modern world. But your relationship with them can be completely transformed through consistent, intelligent practice.
Ready to explore these principles in your own practice? This week's classes focus on working skillfully with stress, strain, and speed, offering practical tools for building resilience both on and off the mat. New to IYS? Learn more here.