| Perhaps one of the hardest things we as humans | | | | various dimensions of the game it is easy to become |
| most learn to do is to learn how to do things for | | | | obsessed with these various improvements. Suddenly |
| ourselves. What this means is not that we should be | | | | you can count cards, read other’s expressions and |
| selfish and only look out for our own interests. What is | | | | calculate odds without blinking. It can be very easy for |
| meant by this is, as a simple example, that when we | | | | a player who has reached such a level to think that |
| go to the gym we should go because we want to feel | | | | they have nothing left to learn about poker and that |
| good and be healthy. People should not go to the gym | | | | they know everything there is to know. A wonderful |
| just so that they can impress the girl next door or to | | | | yogic lesson is that no matter how advanced a |
| wow their friends because they have the biggest | | | | practitioner one becomes, one is always an infant in |
| biceps of the group. We are constantly trying to do | | | | terms of how much knowledge they have and how |
| things that will make others happy instead of making | | | | much they have left to learn. The same goes for |
| ourselves happy thinking that in order to be satisfied | | | | poker. No matter how good you become there is |
| with ourselves we must be satisfactory to others. | | | | always an infinite amount of knowledge available that |
| A life philosophy that I have often heard and am a big | | | | one can continue to build upon and learn from. |
| proponent of goes as such: how can you love others | | | | By being unattached to results, we remain diligent |
| and be a happy person if you don’t love yourself | | | | students who are as wide-eyed about whatever |
| and are not happy person? It is like teaching a person | | | | endeavor we have decided to undertake as when we |
| how to play guitar without ever having plucked a string. | | | | first started. Once a person is convinced they are an |
| All this pondering about the meaning of life is | | | | expert or a know-it-all, the learning process ends and |
| fascinating enough but what does this have to do with | | | | that person will stagnate in whatever they are |
| yoga and, more importantly, poker? | | | | pursuing. The amount of energy a human being can |
| Going back to the previous discussions of the yoga | | | | spend obsessing over themselves is extraordinary. |
| sutras, we must go back to the very beginning and | | | | Many people look in the mirror for hours, brag to |
| study some of the core principles and pieces of | | | | friends and even seek praise solely to feel good about |
| advice given by Patanjali to all practitioners of the | | | | themselves. All of these habits are signs that one must |
| science of yoga. | | | | continue to put more attention on self-improvement. |
| In the beginning of the yoga sutras one of the very | | | | The most important aspect of the ideas revolving |
| first pillars mentioned is abhyasa, or practice. This does | | | | around non-attachment to results is that of focusing in |
| not mean that one must constantly do asanas (poses) | | | | on the present. When one focuses one’s attention |
| it merely means that one needs to be persistent in | | | | on what kind of results they are achieving they are |
| trying to maintain a tranquil state of being, which is the | | | | taking their mind away from concentrating on what is |
| entire point of yoga. | | | | happening right in front of them. This is an especially |
| The essential companion to abhyasa is vairagya, or | | | | important skill that has been mentioned over and over |
| non-attachment. Yoga teaches us that we must learn | | | | again in this article. If one cannot detach themselves |
| to let go of the many attachments we hold on to in | | | | from results, they will have a difficult time staying in the |
| our everyday live such as fears and distractions we | | | | present. For poker players, this means that they will be |
| pay attention to that cloud us from getting in touch with | | | | unable to focus every ounce of their concentration to |
| our true inner-selves. | | | | the various dimensions required to win a major poker |
| These concepts, carried out during the practice of | | | | tournament. |
| yoga, can be readily applied to one’s poker game. | | | | **I don’t see a conclusion anywhere! Give it some |
| There is a reason why many of the best-known | | | | closure and make sure the rest looks like an |
| poker players in the world gained their renown through | | | | appendix** |
| impressive and consistent online play, not just by | | | | For anybody who has read through this article and is |
| winning a tournament on television - players who clock | | | | inspired to try some yoga, below are a few |
| in such a great deal of hours gain their skill through | | | | suggestions of several popular yoga styles taken from |
| experience and tenacity, not chance. Many of these | | | | : |
| players not only spend a great deal of time playing the | | | | Anusara |
| game, they have also put in hours in the library studying | | | | Anusara (a-nu-SAR-a) means, "to step into the current |
| texts and learning what the best in the business have | | | | of Divine Will", "following your heart", "flowing with |
| to say. They learn every single strength and | | | | Grace", "to move with the current of divine will." A new |
| weakness of their game thereby finding ways to work | | | | style developed by John Friend, Anusara yoga is |
| with their shortcomings as well as gifts. | | | | described as heart-oriented, spiritually inspiring, yet |
| Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. | | | | grounded in a deep knowledge of outer and inner |
| There are several young poker players that have | | | | body alignment. Each student’s various abilities and |
| begun to dominate the poker world such as Josh | | | | limitations are deeply respected and honored. |
| “JJProdigy” Field, Dario Minieri, and Annette | | | | Ashtanga |
| Obrestad. These players seem to have an uncanny | | | | For those who want a serious workout, Ashtanga |
| feel for the game and made it straight to the top as | | | | may be the perfect yoga. Developed by K. Pattabhi |
| mere children with little or no experience. These | | | | Jois, Ashtanga is physically demanding. Participants |
| players should be used as learning examples, but | | | | move through a series of flows, jumping from one |
| should not be emulated considering less than 1% of | | | | posture to another to build strength, flexibility and |
| poker players have that kind of natural talent. The best | | | | stamina. It's not for beginners or anyone who's been |
| way to improve one’s game is to simply put in the | | | | taking a leisurely approach to fitness. The so-called |
| time, practice, and study. Studying the game is a key | | | | Power Yoga is based on Ashtanga. |
| ingredient that keeps many average players from | | | | Bikram |
| becoming truly great players. | | | | Bikram Choudhury's yoga is hot, hot, hot, so be |
| Studying does not mean to sit and read one book. It | | | | prepared to sweat, sweat, sweat. In class, they crank |
| goes much deeper than that. Studying the game | | | | the thermostat up high, then perform a series of 26 |
| means not only playing and reading, but watching | | | | asanas designed to "scientifically" warm and stretch |
| others play poker. Sit down one day and watch a | | | | muscles, ligaments and tendons. Founder Bikram |
| WSOP tournament on TV and take notes with a pen | | | | Choudhury studied yoga with Bishnu Ghosh, brother of |
| and paper. Take note of the various betting strategies | | | | Paramahansa Yogananda |
| players use and how their personalities reflect their | | | | Iyengar |
| playing style. Some writers even claim that by simply | | | | Ever think standing was just a matter of keeping your |
| observing the way a person dresses and walks one | | | | body on top of your legs? It's hard to appreciate how |
| can deduce a great deal about their playing style. | | | | involved a simple thing like just standing can be, how |
| Doing this on TV can be a little difficult considering the | | | | much concentration and how many subtle movements |
| players are at such an elite level and are quite good at | | | | and adjustments it takes, until you take an Iyengar |
| hiding their weaknesses, but there is still a great deal to | | | | yoga class. Of course, the point is that you're not just |
| learn from them. Even going to a local casino and | | | | standing. You're doing Tadasana, Mountain pose, and in |
| observing other players can be a great help and for | | | | yoga in the style of B.K.S. Iyengar, Tadasana is an |
| beginning players would do more than watching the | | | | active pose. B.K.S. Iyengar is one of the best-known |
| pros. | | | | yoga teachers and the creator of one of the most |
| There is much wisdom in the saying “practice | | | | popular styles of yoga in the world. His style of yoga is |
| makes perfect”. The ancient yogis were some of | | | | noted for great attention to detail and the precise |
| the original propagators of consistent practice in order | | | | alignment of postures, as well as the use of props |
| to better their yoga practice as well as their lives. You | | | | such as blocks and belts. No doubt part of Iyengar's |
| too can take this advice and apply it to your poker | | | | success is due to the quality of teachers, who must |
| game in order to increase the size of your bankroll. | | | | complete a rigorous 2-5 year training program for |
| Non-attachment to Results | | | | certification. |
| Many reading this article might be starting to get a little | | | | Kundalini |
| bit skeptical at this stage of the series. How in the | | | | Kundalini yoga in the tradition of Yogi Bhajan, who |
| world could non-attachment to results be of any use | | | | brought the style to the West in 1969, focuses on the |
| to a poker player? If one doesn’t care about the | | | | controlled release of Kundalini energy. The practice |
| results of a poker game, doesn’t that mean that | | | | involves classic poses, breath, coordination of breath |
| you won’t be competitive and that you won’t | | | | and movement, meditation. |
| want to win? In poker, the most important part of the | | | | Kripalu |
| game is to win because you can only lose so much | | | | Called the yoga of consciousness, Kripalu puts great |
| before you owe a loan shark your home or various | | | | emphasis on proper breath, alignment, coordinating |
| appendages. | | | | breath and movement, and "honoring the wisdom of |
| These are all excellent questions and deserve an | | | | the body" -- you work according to the limits of your |
| equally respectable answer. The whole idea of | | | | individual flexibility and strength. Alignment follows |
| non-attachment to results and how this can be related | | | | awareness. Students learn to focus on the physical |
| to poker does not have anything to do with how | | | | and psychological reactions caused by various |
| competitive a person is. The point of not having any | | | | postures to develop their awareness of mind, body, |
| sort of attachment to results does not necessarily | | | | emotion and spirit. There are three stages in Kripalu |
| even have to do anything with winning. For example, in | | | | yoga: Stage One focuses on learning the postures and |
| yoga as one progresses one is able to do incredible | | | | exploring your body’s abilities, Stage Two involves |
| physical maneuvers that previously would have never | | | | holding the postures for an extended time, developing |
| been remotely possible or imaginable. The catch is that | | | | concentration and inner awareness and Stage Three |
| the point of yoga is not to be able to wrap your body | | | | is like a meditation in motion in which the movement |
| into a pretzel and levitate; it’s to gain a deeper | | | | from one posture to another arises unconsciously and |
| connection and understanding with the Self. The more | | | | spontaneously. |
| a person becomes obsessed with the results and how | | | | Sivananda |
| amazing they are becoming the slower they will | | | | Sivananda is one of the world's largest schools of |
| progress. In fact if you practice yoga and after three | | | | yoga. Developed by Vishnu-devananda and named for |
| years the only accomplishment you thing you have | | | | his teacher, Sivananda yoga follows a set structure |
| made is that you can sit in full lotus and brag to | | | | that includes pranayama, classic asanas, and |
| everybody about it, you have possibly even made a | | | | relaxation. Vishnu-devananda wrote one of the |
| regression because you have become distracted by | | | | contemporary yoga classics, The Complete Illustrated |
| your physical body. | | | | Book of Yoga. First published in 1960, the book is still |
| The same ideas can be transferred to poker. As we | | | | one of the best introductions to yoga available. |
| progress with our poker skills and slowly realize the | | | | |