Injury

Hey,
Did anyone else notice the similar theme between what I posted earlier today and what I posted at the end of January?? As I have said in class before, I often choose themes for classes that are about concerns or ideas that are emerging in my own life that I then hope resonate and make some sense to others. I guess I have been pondering and struggling with balance these days! I was going to delete my earlier post from today when I realized how similar the last 2 were, but decided to leave them so that I could use them as an example!

Those of you that are currently in one of my yoga sessions (new class sessions are starting now, by the way) know that I have backed off from some of the teacher demo parts of class so that I can manage a back issue I am dealing with. I guess it is just part of my nature and physicality that leaves me somewhat prone to injury. I find that I always have to be careful about pushing or practicing too extensively, as it seems that when I hurt myself, I am not aware of it until sometime later. My yoga practice has taught me and continues to teach me about my body and my tendency to injure myself with too much repetition. Too much of a good thing is never a good thing for me!

So, I guess that's the theme of the two posts that I am attempting to share: What has your yoga practice been teaching you? Do you also struggle with balancing life's demands and staying present vs. getting scattered and distracted?

For now, keep breathing, stay present, and see what your practice has to teach you. I'm with you on the journey and learning as I go!

Balance

In yoga class this week, I thought we would play with the ideas of effort and ease. For some of us, we don't feel quite right unless we are constantly pushing, rushing, or competing with ourselves or other people. For some of us, we feel vulnerable, frightened, or too embarrassed to really put ourselves out there on the mat or in the world in any substantial way. What if there was a place of balance to be found between these two extremes? We should be able to recognize that there are times when we need to push a bit and test ourselves, and times when we should withdraw for a time to reflect and rest.
As you practice on the mat this week, observe how you respond to the postures/asanas. Yoga has so much that it can teach us, not just about how we approach our physical bodies, but also how we respond to things that feel comfortable or challenging. There is no right or wrong in this, but over time, as we become more aware of our tendencies or typical responses, we can explore them and modify them when necessary. If you're holding back from challenge or effort, maybe there are some small ways to move out of your comfort zone. If you're pressing and insisting and constantly 'leaning into' effort, maybe you can soften and recognize that rest and simplicity also have deep value.