Peace at the Center
I’m not a guy’s guy … or maybe I am. I don’t even know what that means anymore. I work in the construction trades. I like beer and loud music. I drive a Subaru and like to go fast as I head to the woods to hike.
I don’t do yoga to get huge or compete as a bodybuilder, but it does offer a great core workout. I don’t do yoga to become enlightened, but I find the tranquil space that it occupies to be rejuvenating. I don’t do yoga to pick up women, but it has afforded me some great friendships because in each class, everyone seems to be on the same wavelength.
My life is hectic. It’s go-go-go from one jobsite to the next, all the while trying to keep up with texts and emails. Coffee is a must and often breakfasts and lunches are a luxury. At night before bed, I feel as though my mind is filled with hundreds of details, from people and conversations to materials and stores and prices, all while I try to count sheep as the schedule of my upcoming day, week, and month play out before me.
It’s against this backdrop that yoga enters the picture. While I’m doing yoga, my phone is off and all those details listed in my mind can be a million miles away. In those moments that seem to stretch on for hours, my thoughts recede into the background and I feel centered.
I think that’s the whole point.
I start by paying attention to my breathing, which brings my focus to the core of my body. Then my previously-scattered mind starts to draw itself in and focus on the here and now. I begin to move methodically through the poses while paying attention to my center of gravity and my breathing.
When I walk out of yoga, I feel more grounded and more concentrated. It’s as though all of my energy has drawn close to my inner being. I always enjoy these post-yoga moments of clarity. Then when I’m ready, I turn on the phone and plug back into the details of life, but somehow things always feel different. It’s as though the time doing yoga cleared everything off of my plate. Afterwards, I can put the pieces back on one at a time, arranging my life in a more orderly fashion.
Eric Gutschmidt is a Cedar Rapids-based real estate developer and owner of Gutschmidt Properties who’s been practicing yoga for 12 years. In his free time, he started Backpackers United and partnered with a local charity to lead international backpacking trips to promote cross-cultural exposure. This article was originally published in YogaIowa’s Spring 2017 issue.
