Rebel Without Applause
Dare yourself to do what's best for you Perhaps when we sit in a cross-legged position our only thought is for the pain in our strained ankles. In doing this we are not really in the asana (posture) we are striving for - we are obviously not yet ready for this particular position. -- "The Heart of Yoga," Desikachar  Yes, obviously, if we are in pain we are not yet ready for easy pose, or shoulder stand, or...whatever that is in the picture on the right. Yet so often when we discover our limit, instead of simply accepting our ability exactly as it is, we criticize or shame ourselves.
This response is not what the wisest yoga teachers advocate. In fact, Desikachar goes on to explain: "...We should first practice something easier. This simple idea is the foundation for our whole yoga practice. Practicing the postures progressively, we gradually achieve more steadiness, alertness, and overall comfort."
Frequently our reaction when faced with a road block on the mat is to give up or push harder. But not all challenge comes in the form of defeat or punishment. Sometimes the gentleness itself is the challenge. In a culture where doing is more valuable than being, it's virtually an act of rebellion to slow down and ease up.
Despite anything you may have heard to the contrary, yoga is supposed to make you feel good. There is most definitely a genuine reward that comes from reaching beyond our comfort zone and so, in that sense, striving in yoga can make us feel good. But striving is not the only way to feel accomplishment. In fact, most of us are accustomed to pushing ourselves too far, and then getting credit, self-worth or promotion for it. By contrast, we can use our time on the mat to explore other pathways to acheivement.
When was the last time you gave yourself a break? I mean a real break, not retail therapy or an indulgent dessert (not that there's anything wrong with those things). I mean the kind of break where you truly, lovingly embrace your limits and let go of your own perception of what "should" be. I mean the kind of break where, instead of waiting to hear rounds of applause or ridicule from onlookers, you determined the quality of your experience based on how you felt on the inside.
Too cushy for your taste? Don't want to be wimp? Ex-Marine? Well, try it and you'll see that it takes brass balls to sit out a round of sun salutations because you need a rest while the rest of the class churns along. Or when the teacher is saying over and over, "Keep the legs straight, don't bend the knees," go ahead and bend your knees and watch yourself break into a completely different kind of sweat. In my own practice and in that of my students, I see over and over again that the most difficult exercise by far is to do less.
Now after reading a few issues of Yoga Bits, perhaps you have begun to notice that most of the things that come up on the yoga mat -- like easing up and embracing your ability exactly where you are in the moment -- also resemble things that come up in life? If so, congratulations, you're catching on. If not, congratulations, you're exactly where you're supposed to be. |
