“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
With the immense popularity of yoga, a lot of us have experimented with it at some point or other in our lives. Some of us have ended up falling in love with the practice and a few of us have gone a step further and have even fallen in love with the person that we are practising with. Here is a sneak peek into what makes yogi couples click!
1. You speak the same language
When you constantly talk about things like ‘universal energies’ and the ‘subtle body’ in public, you are bound to raise a few eyebrows. Chances are some might even think you are a little weirdly wired. My mom once told me, “now that you are on this path, you will need to find someone ‘like you’. Normal people will not understand you!” We are all scared of what we don’t understand but when you share the same ideologies, your fears are minimal and the friction between two individuals lessens. The joys of being equally crazy cannot be overrated!
2. You have similar priorities in life
If you are a yogi couple, chances are both of you believe in the same things. As spiritual beings, you both believe in the complete well-being of yourselves and others. Yoga is a great spiritual practice and changes one from within. You both believe in service of others, and the importance of kindness and non-violence. The path of spirituality is not easy, but it’s a bit easier to stay on the path when your partner has the same goals. There is a constant source of inspiration around you.
3. You are both lame in the same ways
Yoga is a very specific lifestyle. You both go to sleep early and wake up early. You eat boring healthy yogi food, take naps in the afternoon and don’t go out at night. You spend your time together doing yoga, meditating, indulging in some other form of physical or mental workout or discussing a new healthy diet, and and there is no pressure to act ‘cool’.
On the flip side your body doesn’t want to have a late night or eat junk food, since the next day you’re both pretty much good for nothing. When you inevitably have a moment of weakness, you take care of each other, and happily get back to your regular lifestyle until you stumble again.
4. Yogi couples are more aware of the others’ needs
Yoga makes you more sensitive towards yourself and your surroundings. It also makes you more aware of the energies around you. In a relationship, this makes you more sensitive and a lot more aware of the energies emanating from your partner. You can sense a bad mood setting in and calm the other person or make a run for the door right on time! Practising yoga together brings more harmony and understanding in the relationship.
Maintaining a consistent yoga practice enhances your capacity to identify what makes you feel secure and insecure as well as develops your internal connection to cues from your body. This helps you connect better with your partner.
5. Your library is incredible!
The number of meditation CDs and books on yoga just keeps increasing! There is no end to the knowledge surrounding you, and that pushes you to grow and learn more. Most yogis search for the best classes, courses to attend, and compare notes on teachers — pooling your knowledge with someone else gets you so much further than going it alone. What one person reads, learns, and experiences, is shared with the other person adding to their knowledge and experience.
Relationships are a huge responsibility. It is not only about cohabiting with the other person but also about helping your partner grow, develop, and achieve what he/she desires. A happy relationship consists of two confident happy individuals and when your dreams are aligned with each others’ that makes everything easier.
6. You’re both physically fit
There is so much more you can achieve in life as individuals and as a couple when you are in good health. A person with poor health tends to moody, cranky and not very pleasant to be around. If you practice regularly with an intention of self-examination and betterment — not just as a substitute for physical exercise — you can access a different side of yourself. You will experience feelings of gratitude, empathy, and forgiveness, as well as a sense that you are part of something bigger. Better health is often a by-product of spirituality, and good health brings joy into your life and relationships.
7. It’s easy to spend quality time together
When you both spend so much time together doing the things that you appreciate and are passionate about, there can never be a question of not having enough quality time together. Studies show that couples who engage in activities together see significant improvement in relationship satisfaction.
The most important part of the day is time spent around each other, looking at each other and learning from each other. Yogi couples travel to the same places together to grow their practice and spend time with each other talking and reading about things that they both equally enjoy. There is no space to feel left out.
The Art Of Really Being Together
All relationships require hard work and all people are different no matter how many common interests you share. There are bound to be rifts. The idea is to remember that we’re all here trying to be happy and grow as people. When both people in a relationship know this, it’s a bit easier to work through any troubles that may arise. The best way to create the energy for joyful, successful meaningful relationships is through mindful partnering— learning to be fully present with each other — and being able to remind yourselves of that every day.
Are you a yogi (or a non-yogi) dating a yogi? Can you see yourself or relate to anything on this list? If so, share with us in the comments what you’ve learned — there’s definitely room for reasons 8, 9, and 10!
