Yoga in everyday life: reflections on life at Nøsen

From Eva, who was our general manager at the time.

It was in August 2016 that I came to Nøsen for the very first time. That was also when I felt the special atmosphere here, call it the warmth of being included. It was as if I were already one of them. It felt safe, and at the same time it gave me room to grow. I think that was also when my view of communication changed, of my relationships with other people, and not least of what yoga really is. Because how do we actually practise yoga in real life? What is yoga here and now, in everyday life and in our actions, and not only when we bend, stretch and reach on the mat?

For those who do not already know, the Nøsen crew is a very mixed group of people. A motley crew of colourful personalities: individuals with different backgrounds, interests, passions, experiences and skills. Some of us live here permanently and have been here for several years; others are here as volunteers and help out for shorter periods, often a couple of months before the road leads on out into the world. Some are members of Back in the Ring (BITR) and come here to build new habits and a healthier lifestyle. Some of us have loads of work experience, while others come with almost nothing and have to learn everything from scratch. Even tidying up after yourself can be a challenge at first. Few of us have much in common, yet one interest binds us together: the wish to go deeper into yoga, the will to learn and to try to understand. What lives in us? How can we get better at life itself?

Perhaps it is this difference, and at the same time this sameness, that makes Nøsen so inclusive. New people bring their insight, their ideas and new energy, and we are forever grateful to everyone who has been here and enriched our lives. In many ways they are the reason we are exactly where we are today.

And of course, it is not endless sunshine working with long-term staff or volunteers, nor with all the BITR participants! It takes nerves of steel, tons of patience and a big dose of humour. The job challenges me daily (and surely not only me) in the art of doing yoga off the mat. How far can I stretch, bend and twist to find good ways to motivate each and every one? Some need clear instructions down to the smallest detail, others need loads of space to bloom, and some work best when they can take full responsibility for their own tasks.

What really makes young, capable people spend their lives on the mountain? Why do we spend so much time here, off the beaten track, cut off from all the entertainment and amusements of the city? What makes us get up long before the birds sing and do our work with joy and (mostly) an open mind? Working together and living together in such a confined place, with nowhere to escape when we are vulnerable and sad or strong and stubborn, letting others see all our sides: that takes courage. Yet when we finally allow ourselves to be transparent, that is when it becomes a little easier to accept all our complicated sides, both in ourselves and in others.

As leader of the colourful personalities that make up the Nøsen crew, I keep learning something new, and one thing I have learned especially well is that some people are very hard to work with. Some almost drive me mad! And yet, when I try as hard as I can, when I finally manage to carry this beautiful practice that is yoga into everyday life and not only onto the mat, I experience again and again something even bigger than just me, mine and my own. That is yoga for me.