fight your mind, fight your body

Working toward a new yoga posture is challenging, but it's much more than physically challenging. You may possess the physical ability to achieve a pose, but if you're not getting there, you could be your own worst enemy. 

Think of it this way: Say I am trying to reach around into a bind. I've done this 1,000 times before, but today, I'm just having trouble staying present in my practice. I've had a bad day at work, I'm hungry and distracted, my breath is weak and I'm getting irritated thinking, "Why can't I reach this?"  The more I try to force it, the farther I am from achieving anything, even if I make the stupid bind. If a pose isn't approached from a calm and centered frame- of-mind, it doesn't matter if you're physically able or not.

King Pigeon is a beautiful, deeply freeing pose if the practitioner is cautious and well-prepared.

If you do have a specific asana goal that you are struggling with, it might be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

Why am I working toward this next pose? Perhaps the most important question of all, analyze why this is important to you. Are your motives really pure? Don't allow ego to cloud your judgement as to what you're ready for. At the same time, never let your asana challenges define your self-worth.

Healthy motives behind asana goals might include a physical need for deeper muscle release, a recommendation by your teacher, or a new challenge for your meditative state. Remember, the specific translation of the word "asana" translates to "pose you can hold with ease."

In other words, you will never fight your way into a correct yoga posture. If you're fighting with your body, you're already fighting with your mind.

What poses should I master first? Know your stuff before attempting any new pose. Ask your yoga teacher or mentor what poses you can practice to work up to a goal. More harm than good can come from being ill-prepared for a new pose. 

What might be holding me back? Physical obstacles might be more obvious, especially if you're working with a teacher. But what about emotional obstacles? Could it be fear? Fear of failure or fear of a bloody nose in your first Crow? Whatever it is, you'll need to address it head-on before you can get any further (no pun intended). Yes, you might still feel some fear as you work on your Crow, but with a pillow in front of your face and confidence in your arm strength, you can succeed.

Am I being patient? Maybe one of the hardest questions to ask yourself: is it possible that you're rushing into an exciting new pose? Whether it's been 2 months or 2 years, being calm and present in each practice will go a long way in helping you to accept your progress and understand your body.

 

What if I really can't do it? Everyone is built differently. It's not a cop-out to acknowledge your limitations. Your skeleton, ligaments, muscles and joints are unique to you. Past injuries or predispositions may mean that certain poses may never come without modifications. And that's perfectly okay. Afterall, if you can breathe, you can practice yoga.

The freedom and energy that you feel when you achieve a new pose for the right reasons does not even compare to the muscular stretch you might get from just being in a pose.

Stay wise, yogiis!


Photo courtesy & copyright of Little Story Studio