Yoga off the mat - is it always beneficial

One of the things I find interesting and difficult is bringing my yoga practice off my mat and into the real world. I find maintaining serenity is easier in a yoga environment than say my office environment for obvious reasons:

1. We are not in competition with each other
2. We maintain an understanding of peace in the moment
3. We are reflecting internally and usually just want to share our energy, not interact
4. We don't actually have to communicate with each other.
5. And for a myriad of other reasons that, I'm sure you can provide

But how do you bring this peace, this tranquility, this...acceptance and understanding off the mat and into your workplace? I struggle with this concept. I mean, I understand the concept...it's the actual doing it that I don't understand, and also if it always benefits me. For example, I have a boss. And she really isn't a very nice person. She only criticizes me and doesn't provide me any positive comments, energy or anything that makes me excited to work for her. (And let me state now, I am job hunting, but it is a rough market and I haven't found anything to be able to leave my job.) I understand that being a young boss is probably difficult, but she only makes it worse by being rude, narrow-minded and egotistical. And in yoga, we know that it is the ego that gets us in trouble, it is the ego that causes controversy. So how can I bring my yoga into this situation??

For several months I meditated on this. At night, I would sit on my meditation pillow, with Gregorian Chants, Krishna Das, or simple silence and reflect on my terrible relationship with my boss. I would place my hands in Namaskara mudra (prayer hands) at my heart, breathe deeply and look for answers.

I had read on yoga.com that Four Simple Steps to Less Stress by Taking Yoga "Off the Mat" were:

• Experience
  
• Awareness
• Self-reflection
• Elect

I contemplated my experiences with my boss, how I was reacting, how I would prefer to react, what my triggers were. I analyzed until I thought I knew the whole extent of the relationship. And some nights I found a deeper sense of peace than others, but when I did, I knew, in my heart, the answer and how to improve my relationship with my boss. It was simple really. I just needed to accept that she was coming from a completely different place in life and perspective than me. Something or someone had shaped her to be that way and my acceptance would lend to my understanding and my ability to be gentle and kind to her.

Each morning I would be excited thinking that I was going to improve my relationship with my boss and enjoy my job again. And each day I found disappointment. Something is not going right. I will have to continue to think about this and will share my experiences.

In the meantime...how do you bring yoga off the mat? Have you found yourself in similar situations? How did you respond?? Please comment or let me know if you would like to post a response!!

Shanti!