I oftentimes hear from my students or people talking about Yoga that they are not good at it because they lack flexibility or their mind can not stop thinking / analyzing throughout the session.
This common misconception stops people from getting introduced to regular practice.
It is obviously a valid point in our modern day perception of the Yoga practice in the West. Social media made it even harder: we see slim people performing acrobatic shapes , telling us about nutrition, what to do and not to do. This misconception reverses the mind into thinking that we should be agile, fit and calm to begin Yoga practice. Luckily, it is not true.
In India, the birthplace of Yoga, it is taught at elementary schools – regardless the gender. They also teach the basics of healthy living, which does not only include food but also non-violence (Ahimsa), practice of kind speech, mind controlling techniques (Focused Gaze/ Breath Awareness), stimulating poses that let internal energy harmoniously flow through the body and unblock stagnation.
There is NO perfect pose in Yoga. Our bodies are shaped differently, we accumulate various habits through life willingly or not and all of this impacts our physical thus emotional being. Hips have different skeletal structure; some have broader shoulder girdle than others, feet of all kinds, torso of different lengths.
Instead, Yoga practice under guidance of an experienced instructor helps us switch from judgmental thoughts of our physical appearance to accepting ourselves for who we are and work with what we’ve got. Yoga targets focus, coordination, strength, presence and flexibility. With time and effort, we see positive results.
We go with the FEELING not the looks
By trusting the practice and revealing the CURIOUS mind & a little exploration, we truly start to recognize the signals/hints our body is sending us.
Let’s be present, open – minded and curious in our practice this week!
Namaste,
Ally