I wanted to write something to remind those of you who read my blog who, like all of us, have those days where you just don’t feel as though you are making any progress.
I wanted to remind you that there are times where life can feel a little stagnant. Where you may feel as though you have been practicing a pose forever more but you are still yet to nail it. I wanted to ask you to be completely honest with yourself.
At those times when life feels stagnant, do you get out your yoga mat? Or do you come to yoga once a week and wonder why you aren’t getting any closer to reaching your toes or getting your heels down in downward dog?
The thing is with yoga you see, is that it’s like life. There are times when you feel like you’ve given your all and still, you’re getting no further but the fact is that you still need to give it your all. I do yoga almost every day and yet there are times when I get a bit frustrated as I can’t seem to get any closer to lifting myself into a handstand or jumping into bakasana.
Patanjali warned that new students would get excited by the progress in their sadhana but that there would be times when they would risk losing interest as progress appears non-existent or slow.
This is true. There are times when I feel as though I am never going to be able to flow through the entire primary series. But then I remember when I did make a breakthrough. The first time I was able to get my nose to my knee for example, or the first time I could move into upward facing bow. In fact, I never thought I could be a yoga teacher.
So when I feel as though my life isn’t quite going where I’d like, I take my focus to the things I can change and control; my relationship with my myself and my body. I get out my mat and have a play.
My suggestion to you is that you do the same and if this isn’t possible, take yourself back to a memory where you achieved something you never believed you could and try meditating on it.
You see, life, like yoga, takes practice and patience. Sometimes, you have to return to some previous breakthroughs to remind yourself that they are possible and through that, comes the power of healing. Believe in yourself. Believe in your body. Give yourself time and love and fall over laughing trying. Never say never and one day you’ll be amazed at what suddenly you can do.
Namaste
