Yoga And Pilates | The Sober Curator

Sobriety in Flow:
Yoga Beyond the Poses with Teresa Bergen

Yoga is more than poses.

SOBRIETY IN FLOW at The Sober Curator invites you to explore the deeper dimensions of yoga with Teresa Bergen—beyond the physical poses. This column blends movement, mindfulness, and recovery wisdom, showing how yoga can support emotional balance, spiritual growth, and long-term sobriety. Whether you’re new to the mat or a seasoned practitioner, Sobriety in Flow offers guidance to help you connect body, mind, and spirit. Teresa also loves to travel and is actively curating sober retreats – make sure to check out her travel recaps and calendar.

Jennifer Siegel photo by joel conrad bechtolt sober yoga at the sober curator

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Sobriety in Flow: Healing Trauma with Yoga and Other Body-Centered Practices. An Interview with Jennifer Siegel

By Teresa BergenFebruary 5, 20257 Mins Read

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Isvara Pranidhana: Surrendering to God | Sobriety in Flow

By Teresa BergenDecember 31, 20245 Mins Read

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Svadhyaya: The Study of Self and Sacred Texts | Sobriety in Flow

By Teresa BergenDecember 2, 20244 Mins Read

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Tapas – Harness Your Zeal to Build Better Habits | Sobriety in Flow

By Teresa BergenOctober 27, 20246 Mins Read

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Santosha in Yoga: Cultivating Contentment for a Happier Life

By Teresa BergenOctober 4, 20243 Mins Read

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

From Punk Rock Chaos to Yoga Cleanliness: Embracing Saucha in a Journey from Disorder to Discipline

By Teresa BergenAugust 19, 20245 Mins Read

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Aparigraha – The Practice of Moral Restraint | Sobriety in Flow

By Teresa BergenJuly 16, 20243 Mins Read

Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Yama, or Ethical Restraint, of Brahmacarya

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Yama, or Ethical Restraint, of Brahmacarya

By Teresa BergenJune 14, 20246 Mins Read

Dive into Yoga Philosophy: Understanding Asteya

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Dive into Yoga Philosophy: Understanding Asteya

By Teresa BergenMay 27, 20246 Mins Read

SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Satya – Truth « The Sober Curator

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Satya – Truth

By Teresa BergenApril 25, 20245 Mins Read

Continuing with our study of yoga philosophy, this month’s column delves into the yama, or ethical restraint, of asteya. What’s the difference between a drug addict and an alcoholic? The alcoholic will steal your wallet and run. The addict will steal your wallet and help you look for it. I’ve often pondered this old joke, which portrays the blundering drunk and the wily addict as thieves. But either way, they’re both thieves. And that’s what this month’s yoga philosophy column is about: the yogic principle of asteya, or non-stealing. Are you a thief? Back when I got sober a loooong time ago, the psychologists and counselors I talked to seemed to think many problems were unrelated. For example, my eating disorder couldn’t possibly be connected to my addiction problems, right? Wrong. Continuing research shows more and more that mental and behavioral problems often overlap and intertwine. Take stealing. Science’s current perspective seems to be that people can have shoplifting addiction or kleptomania, which sometimes correlates with substance use disorder. Researching this article, I found that in addition to teens shoplifting for thrills, it’s common for people in early recovery to steal things. Favored items include energy drinks, tooth-whitening kits, spices, and cell phone charging cables. Why? Take away substance use, and people crave a dopamine hit. The thrill of stealing petty stuff delivers. Interestingly, that buzz kill drug naltrexone takes the thrill out of drinking, drugs, and stealing. So, these things are definitely related. And if you’re sober enough to be reading this, you probably realize stealing is going to get you in trouble. So, stop it. Not only will you have better karma, but you might also stay out of jail. Okay, you’re not a thief. Or maybe this doesn’t describe you. Perhaps you were an honest drunk who never stole so much as a beer. Then asteya may sound easy. Even former juvenile delinquents might say to themselves, “Well, I’ve got that one covered. Gave up shoplifting at 15.” But there are other ways to steal, including leaning too hard on people for their time and energy. Perhaps you have a friend who’s been complaining about her relationship for years. After she spends an hour covering the same grievances you’ve heard 100 times before, she says, “I always feel so much better after talking to you.” But you don’t. You feel like you’ve been sucked dry by an energy vampire. This friend is stealing your emotional energy as well as your time. Or maybe you’re the emotional vampire! If you recognize yourself in the above description, perhaps you could be kinder to your confidantes by working through your problems in a journal, support group, or with a competent counselor. Or you could buy a pet rock to whine to so you don’t bore your cat to tears. Sometimes, we also take from each other by overusing somebody else’s skills. It’s lovely to help others out and to accept their help. But if we’re assuming that every weekend, our friend should snake our drains, clean our gutters, update our websites, hem our pants, or otherwise donate all their leisure hours to us, it’s time to learn to do these tasks ourselves or pay somebody to do them for us. Parents who work at home, self-employed people, or anybody with a flexible schedule are particular targets of time thieves. Asteya also involves not taking what is not freely offered. If we’re nagging people for favors, those favors are not being freely offered. When we steal what’s not ours, we usually operate from a place of lack or entitlement. Neither is a pretty locale. To ensure we’re not stealing, we should examine our relationships and consider whether we’re doing our fair share. Sometimes, we all face hardships and should be willing to give or take a bit more. But over time, we should strike an approximate balance. SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Satya – Truth « The Sober Curator SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Satya – Truth « The Sober Curator

SPIRITUAL GANGSTER

Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Understanding Ahimsa and Its Role in Sobriety and Personal Growth

By Teresa BergenMarch 17, 20246 Mins Read