For Josh, life is all about balance. By day, he’s an accountant at one of Canada’s leading accounting firms. By night, he uses yoga to release stress and reverse the damage caused by years of sports strains and injuries. Though he first tried yoga on a dare from a friend, he was instantly hooked. The interest flourished when he lived in Taiwan for a number of years, allowing him to integrate the physiological, stress reducing, spiritual and creative aspects of yoga into his life.
A disciplined Corporate Yogi, Josh spends most evenings in a heated studio at Bikram Yoga Centre moving through the 26 classic asanas that make up the Bikram yoga sequence. Beyond the obvious physical benefits of improved flexibility, strength and calming the nervous system and mind, daily practice has also helped Josh focus and succeed in other areas of his life including managing the demands of a high-pressure corporate job.
The Corporate Yogi: What first brought you into a yoga studio?
Joshua Jackson: A friend challenged me to take my first Bikram class. And though my competitive drive got me there, the physical benefits kept me coming back.
As a lifelong athlete, how did you think yoga might help?
I was reckless with my body when I was younger and have lots of scar tissue and injuries from playing sports. I also had a sore back, tight hamstrings and tight hips. I wanted to heal old injuries and build more strength and flexibility.
Has yoga helped you accomplish these goals?
My back, arms and hips are usually stiff from sitting at a desk, so it’s great to go to class and feel the blood rushing through my body. And my posture has improved significantly. Before yoga, I don’t even think I was aware of my posture. Also, when I go to yoga class after work, it helps me tune out my workday and focus on calming my mind.
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“Yoga can help corporations increase productivity and loyalty. It brings physical benefits to anyone who sits at a desk all day and the stress release is significant.” – Josh
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How does your yoga practice mesh with your competitive instincts?
Sometimes if I can’t do something well I’m hard on myself, but I remind myself I’m a student and I’m there to learn. I don’t think you can ever have a perfect practice, which makes yoga different than sports. In baseball you can pitch a perfect game, with hockey a goalie can have a shutout but with yoga there’s always something you can improve on. You can always have better form, go deeper with your posture, improve your breathing or have a more clear mind.
How do you feel in the yoga studio?
It’s so positive in the class it actually quells my competitive drive. It’s humbling and inspiring to practice beside other more experienced students. There’s a group dynamic and presence in the room where everyone’s putting out positive energy through their focus and effort. You tend to feed off each other’s energy.
How has yoga helped your professional life?
It helps me be more focused and clear when I’m at work. And because it releases tension, it makes me calmer and more patient when dealing with people or stressful situations. I’ve become a much better listener. Also, when colleagues find out I practice yoga, they know I have an open mind and it changes the way they interact with me.
How could yoga practice and achieving Corporate Consciousness™ impact the corporate workplace?
Yoga can help corporations increase productivity and loyalty. It brings physical benefits to anyone who sits at a desk all day and the stress release is significant. If people practiced at lunch it would really help remind them to put things into perspective when they returned to their desks. I know some colleagues feel awkward about leaving work at lunch to exercise, so if yoga classes were offered onsite at work it would be easier and more acceptable to go. Plus if I feel we’re connected, I’m going to work that much harder because then all our goals are the same. If I worked for a company that was only motivated to make money and didn’t care about its staff, I would feel like I was dispensable.
What advice do you have for people who are new to yoga?
Yoga is more than just a physical practice. Sometimes it’s hard, but you don’t feel like you’re working out which is why it’s so enjoyable. And every day is different, some days it’s a mind battle, some days it’s more of an emotional battle. Hang in there because it’s worth it to see your progress, heal your injuries and feel your body and mind become more flexible. Yoga reminds you to keep balance in your life at all times.
From: The Corporate Yogi