One Safer Thing Life Tip #002


One Safer Thing Life Tip #002
Video: https://youtu.be/5qma6EYYfrI?is=pjDQ89rItGVXc0Fb
Discernment: Not Every Tool Is for Every Body

By Troy Alan Cox

Over the years of instructing, I've learned something very important that I like to share with others.

Whenever someone tells me they tried yoga and didn't like it or it wasn't right for them, I don't try to convince them otherwise. I used to tell them all the health benefits and the reasons why they might try yoga again.

Pretty quickly, though, I learned that yoga is good for every body, but yoga practice is not right for everybody.

The same principle runs true for all the different types of tools we might find on our life path while looking for ways to deal with the ups and downs of living. One tool might be extremely beneficial for an individual, and they might want to tell everybody about how great the tool is for them. However, that same tool might simply not work for the next person.

The better question to ask is, "Will this tool work for me?" There is no one universal tool. One size fits all does not apply. It is not true that there is a perfect cure-all.

Right now, breath techniques have become very popular as a new tool for all different types of people. However, some breath tools are energizing or designed to burn off excess energy and create heat. Other breath techniques are meant for calming and cooling overstressed nervous systems and lowering body temperature. Knowing that I am highly sensitive and easily triggered, which can result in panic attacks, a heating, fast-moving breath like one might do before an ice plunge is not a useful tool for me. It doesn't mean it's a bad tool. It just doesn't go in my toolbox.

Build your own personal toolbox. There are so many techniques and methodologies available to us now in the digital age that have never even been allowed to be shared historically. But it's virtually impossible to practice all of the tools available to humankind. Therefore, my recommendation is to be selective. Learn from a teacher who is similar to yourself, somebody who has gone through experiences that you relate to. I don't suggest signing up for a random workshop just because it might be a popular place or a popular technique. Learn about the teacher first and make sure it resonates with you, and then try learning their tools. All of their tools might not work for you either. Be discerning.

Be an experimenter. A scientist. Try out different tools for 30 days and see if you gain any results. More advanced tools might require a longer practice time, but generally speaking, you might have an indication of whether or not a tool is right for you within 30 days. Ask yourself, "How is this tool making me feel? Does this tool leave me needing anything? What is my personal experience with this new tool?"

My next book I'm working on is The G of Yoga: A Safety Guide to Gurus and Spiritual Teachers. I'm studying cult mentality right now, and I understand how this can be so tempting for people. Many of us are looking for a one-size-fits-all solution. It can become so blinding when thousands of people are saying a particular teaching or tool is working for them, even though you might feel misgivings or see warning signs about why this tool is not a healthy tool for everybody.

The Weigh Down documentary has been fascinating to watch. A leader took portion control, which works to a certain point but is not a cure-all, and made it her methodology to seduce millions of people into believing they were finding a tool that would change their lives forever. Portion control without nutrition training and education about healthy eating is not a long-lasting tool. Many people were hurt in the process. Be cautious in your tool searching.

If you use your discernment to pick the right teachers who have the right tools for you, you can start to fill up your toolbox with safe tools for you. Make it personalized, and just remember there is no one size fits all. Happy tool hunting.

If you would like to know any of the tools I use to cool off my hypersensitive nervous system, feel free to DM me.

What is one tool you've tried that worked well for someone else but wasn't the right fit for you?

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