Yoga has brought me a great deal of internal and external realizations which have shaped life on and off the mat, the greatest of which can be utilized in our romantic relationships.

Just as I practice yoga to refine my body the following lessons I’ve learned when on my mat can transform and create deeper, more mindful relationships.

1. Give ego the boot.

Just like when we show up on our mat, there is equally no room for ego when we are in a heart-centered relationship. Many relationships become nothing more than tallies of who has done what and how often.

There have been times in our relationship where my husband and I fell into this trap and it became an ugly ego showdown. Its imperative to hold space not just for what you perceive of what you do but also what your partner does as well. This is not a competition and if we desire to be appreciated for what we do we must be willing to extend that to others as well.

2. Sometimes to go forward we must go back.

One of the greatest pieces of advice I received when on my mat was that sometimes to reach the fullest expression of a pose, I have to come out of it slightly.

The same is true in love.

Sometimes when relationships are in a rut, it doesn’t mean that they are doomed but that we need to call our own energy back to us. For some this might mean allowing space for each person to pursue their own individual goals for a while. For others, it may be about getting back to the basics of what brought them together to start with.

The point is that by pulling back just a bit we create a sense of spaciousness in our relationships that allows us to continue forward, unified.

3. Honor where you are at right now.

When I started my yoga practice, I would marvel at how others could contort their bodies in intricate and graceful poses and become frustrated that I could hardly hold chair pose. I would then push myself beyond my edge and risk injury.

The same holds true in love. While some may be rushing to the altar or are anxiously awaiting their little one, some of us are still waiting for evolution in our own relationship.

It’s important to honor exactly where we are right now. In each moment, there is something being offered to us but we often miss these important lessons by comparing our situation against those around us.

Embrace your unique path.

When we take the practice of yoga into our relationships, we find them enriched with a sense of consciousness that allows the connection and the individuals within it to flourish in a way that is more authentic, healing and ultimately, lasting.

What more could we possibly ask for in our most important relationships than that?

Author: Laura Brown

Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Seniju at Flickr