Naoise Ní Bhroin: ‘Is fearr lúbadh ná briseadh, it is better to bend than to break, and more beautiful Irish words for wellness’

A note from Editorial Director Dominique McMullan: We are so excited to introduce a brand new column from Naoise Ní Bhrion (or @YogaLeNaoise as you might know her), written as Gaeilge. Naoise is a certified yoga teacher with a deep passion for both wellbeing and the Irish language, and in this series she brings those two loves together. Naoise believes that the words we choose, and the language we use, shape how we connect with ourselves and the world around us. In weaving yoga and Irish together, Naoise offers us a fresh perspective on what it means to feel grounded, whole and truly at home in ourselves.

Do you ever wish that gach rud sa saol – everything in life went exactly as planned? How éasca – easy that would be? But maybe life would feel beagáinín leadránach – a little dull. Isn’t the beauty of living found in the unexpected outcomes, the nature of change and the dynamic essence of being human?

Is seachmhall í an smacht iomlán – Total control is an illusion. Timpeall orainn – Around us, the seasons change. Within us, cells endlessly die and renew. From the microscopic to the cosmic, níl an saol riamh socair – life is never still. And the more we resist this reality, méadaíonn ár bh’fulaingt – the more we suffer.

Sna téacs ársa – In the ancient text The Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali describes vairagya (non-attachment) as the key to saoirse – freedom. This isn’t indifference, but rather an cleachtadh ag bheith go hiomlán i láthair – the practice of acting fully in the present without clinging to outcomes. He explains that when we insist on smacht – control, we resist sruth nádúrtha an tsaoil – life’s natural flow, which creates our suffering.

We can all dul i gcuimhí – recall moments where trying too hard to control only made things more stressful. In those times, I always bring to mind a seanfhocal luachmar – a valuable Irish proverb: Is fearr lúbadh ná briseadh – it’s better to bend than to break. This message isn’t referring to solúbthacht fisiciúl – physical flexibility, but instead the flexibility of the intinn agus an chroí – mind and heart.

This seanfhocal – proverb teaches me that fíor-láidríocht – true strength lies not in resisting change, ach ag géilleadh dó – but in softening to it. Leanfaidh an saol ar aghaidh ag athrú go leanúnach timpeall orainn – Life will continue to constantly change around and within us. Our cumhacht – power lies not in controlling what happens, but in choosing how we respond. By allowing ourselves to lúbadh – bend, to oiriniú – adapt, to sreabhadh – flow and to have muinín – trust the winding path in front of us – ní hamháin go mairimid, ach bláthaímid – we don’t just survive, we thrive.

This seanfhocal – proverb has become a life mantra to me, saibhir – rich with meaning. Even when we pronounce it out loud, there is a fuaim séimh – onomatopoeic softness to the sounds of these Irish words, as if our sinsir – ancestors are speaking this message directly to our soul – ‘Is fearr lúbadh ná briseadh’.