Wisdom and Neurosis - two sides of the same coin

One of my favorite quotes from Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart is:

"Our neurosis and our wisdom are made out of the same material. If you throw out your neurosis, you also throw out your wisdom."

This quote often makes me think of heart openers in yoga - their paradox, their beauty, and their invitation.

I’ve always been a seeker of meaning and purpose. Life, as we know, has its inevitable mundanity - routines, responsibilities, the day-to-day. And yet, what consistently brings me deep joy are those fleeting, almost magical moments that reveal meaning and make me feel connected to something higher - whether you call it purpose, Spirit, or Self.

Of course, I look for these moments in my asana practice. And that’s part of why I keep returning to the mat: because the practice keeps offering them.

One of the most profound experiences of this came with a pose popularly known as Wild Thing (Camatkarasana). The first time my teacher introduced it in class, I remember how clumsy and awkward it felt. I’m pretty sure it looked nothing like the pose, and for weeks, I probably couldn’t even “flip the dog” all the way.

And yet - every attempt gave me something. No matter how it looked on the outside, on the inside it stirred something deeper, something beyond the physical. It gave me a sense of freedom. Not fully explainable, but undeniable. That subtle feeling kept drawing me back to the pose again and again.

Then one day - without ceremony, without fanfare, without expectation - it happened. The pose unfolded. My heart felt lifted, alive, ecstatic. I understood why its Sanskrit name translates to “the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart.”

That is the paradox of heart openers. They invite us to open - not just to love and joy, but also to the risk of judgment, discomfort, and even emotional overwhelm. With Camatkarasana, that vulnerability feels exhilarating, almost intoxicating - but it can also feel risky and intense.

This also makes me think why Anahatasana (Heart Melting Pose) feels so special. Named after the heart chakra itself, it offers a chance to explore the same openness and release, but in a way that feels deeply grounding and safe. Its invitation is gentle: a surrender that allows the heart to expand without fear, a spaciousness that supports both body and mind. You can approach it slowly, with support or props, and still feel that aliveness - the essence of heart openers - without the intensity of other backbends that can sometimes be overwhelming. And if you want, there’s always an optional little spark of liveliness you can add, like lifting the knees off the ground, to feel that joyful expansion.

For me, heart openers - whether the bold unfolding of Camatkarasana or the tender release of Anahatasana - remind me of the same paradox Pema Chödrön names: that freedom, joy, and wisdom live alongside vulnerability, fear, and discomfort. And when we stay with both, when we allow ourselves to embrace the light and the shadow, those rare, ecstatic moments emerge - the ones that make the heart feel fully alive.

May be next time notice your own heart in your practice, and in life. Where do you feel freedom and expansion? Where is there fear or hesitation? Can you welcome both at once?

And if you feel called, try exploring a heart opener today, maybe something bold, maybe something tender. Notice how it feels, and just let yourself be with it. Know that we need a little bit of both.