My practice is about challenging my preconceived notions about myself and about the world around me. I have learned that deciding the outcome of what you are going to do before you even do it can severely limit your potential. A good example of this is my time with tripod headstand, for the longest time I had the idea that if I did the pose I would fall and break my head, I know it sounds dramatic, but it was what I believed. The first time I tried this pose was in the middle of The Yoga Room in Ruston, Louisiana, the teacher Julie Smith helped me get into it from Prasarita Padottanasana and I was scared shitless. But she was there for me and I was able to make it through the posture supported and there was no falling and no breakage.
Recently I was practicing with Kathryn Budig on Yogaglo and she introduced the posture into the sequence, and I decided to be brave and try it, and this time I was able to get into it some of the way, and even though I fell, i didn’t break my head. I was so excited by that and now I take every opportunity I can to practice Tripod. Currently moving through Uttanasana – Crow – Tripod Headstand – Chatturanga Dandasana in a flow during practice is one of my favorite sequences because it has taught me that I’m stronger than I imagine.
Tripod Headstand
That principle translates off the mat because I’m more willing to do things that are outside my comfort zone. With that said, my practice isn’t about shoving myself through my comfort zone, it is about respectfully challenging it. This applies to both my body and mind. If I realize that I’m not ready for something I slow down because I know that forcing it sin’t going to help me get anywhere any faster, in fact it might just slow me down. The fake it till I make it paradigm doesn’t apply, it is counter productive. The model for me now is to “work it till I make it.” I’m learning that if I try something new and it proves to be too much for me in that instant, there is nothing wrong with taking a step back and/or slowing things down a bit, apart from being a logical way to make sure I get it right and not hurt myself, it is also my way of respecting myself and my growth process.
My practice is also about learning as much as I can, I can only work what I know and by extension I can only teach what I know. So when I come upon a new concept, I work to learn about it.
Finally, it is about learning that perfection is an illusion, that I will fall on my face more times than I might like, but what matters isn’t that I fall, how fast I fall, or how far I fall, but that I get up and keep at it. After all “practice makes possible.”
So what about your yoga practice? Care to share what you care about compelling about getting on the mat that translates to everyday life?
My practice is also about learning as much as I can, I can only work what I know and by extension I can only teach what I know. So when I come upon a new concept, I work to learn about it.
Finally, it is about learning that perfection is an illusion, that I will fall on my face more times than I might like, but what matters isn’t that I fall, how fast I fall, or how far I fall, but that I get up and keep at it. After all “practice makes possible.”
So what about your yoga practice? Care to share what you care about compelling about getting on the mat that translates to everyday life?