| I was in yoga class the other day when I discovered | | | | mind. One of my favorite things about yoga (and I |
| that after a two month hiatus from classes, my | | | | have many favorites about yoga) is how the lessons |
| biggest challenge had nothing to do with flexibility, | | | | learned can be practically applied to life in general, for |
| strength or technique (though all three had | | | | example: adopting a beginners mind allows me to be |
| regressed)-my biggest challenge was my ego. My | | | | open and receptive to experience growth in all areas |
| teacher asked us to either practice handstand against | | | | of my life. |
| the wall (a pose I had done a gazillion times before) | | | | The ego is all about getting us to buy into the |
| or practice a modified version of handstand which, | | | | phantom promise that we will be rewarded with |
| given my current physical conditioning, I knew was in | | | | peace and joy once we acquire and achieve more. |
| my best interest at that moment. A modified | | | | The truth is unless we are already expressing peace |
| handstand meant working into the pose | | | | and joy--which come from within us, not from |
| progressively, building strength and improving | | | | without-no achievement or acquisition, no matter |
| technique incrementally until I was eventually strong | | | | how great, will ever truly satisfy our soul. Take a |
| enough for a full handstand. My ego, however, had | | | | moment to see where this might be true in your |
| its knickers in a twist, it harassed me with thoughts | | | | own life. Remember the car you really wanted and |
| like "how do you expect to master a skill at this | | | | got? Still amped up over the new car smell and the |
| rate?" "why waste your time with preparation, just | | | | way it handles? Are you more calm and peaceful |
| get into the final pose - you know you want to!" | | | | when another driver cuts you off while you're behind |
| "seriously, folks are going to think you're a beginner . . | | | | the wheel of your dream car? or are you already |
| ." | | | | thinking about how much better you could give the |
| If you are remotely familiar with yoga you will notice | | | | guy the finger in a newer, cooler car? |
| immediately how un-yogi-like these thoughts are. In | | | | At the end of my yoga class, lying still in the final |
| fact, it's really an antithetical yoga practice, more like | | | | pose feeling relaxed and refreshed, I was grateful |
| yego. Of course, the opposite of every ego thought | | | | that I ignored the crazy, anxious voice of my ego |
| I had is true: by practicing slowly at a pace that was | | | | and, instead, heeded the calm wisdom of my body. |
| in alignment with my body's strength and ability in | | | | This is a practice that I am still learning to master |
| that moment, I am truly practicing yoga and gaining | | | | (this is why yoga is considered a "practice") and as a |
| mastery. As for people giving a flip as to what I'm | | | | very insightful yoga teacher once told me, yoga is a |
| doing in class, that's just hysterically funny. I, myself, | | | | practice of integrity, not perfection. And wouldn't you |
| am so caught up in my own practice and thoughts | | | | know? That is another great lesson from yoga that |
| (see previous paragraph) there's just no time or | | | | transfers well outside the yoga studio: practice life |
| energy left over for opinions about others. Also, in | | | | with a focus on integrity, not perfection. Give it a try, |
| yoga, mastery is not the point, it's about the journey | | | | it just may increase the quality and enjoyment of |
| one takes seeking mastery; so, really, I am most | | | | your pursuits exponentially--it has mine. Namaste. |
| proficient when I adopt an open, receptive beginners | | | | |