One thing that I have come to love about yoga is the insistence that you listen to your own body and honor it. Yesterday, my instructor said that a few times. Honor what you are feeling. Sometimes, you can’t hold a specific position or do the more advanced part, but that’s okay. For example, while we were in pigeon pose, Andrea asked us to reach our arm back and bend and hold our left or right leg (depending on the side we were stretching). I tried it on my left side and it didn’t even come close to working. On the right side, it worked, but I lost my balance and nearly fell over, so I just stayed in the original position. Sometimes I get upset with myself for not being able to do what I want to. My body is so inflexible, and it never goes as far as I want it to. But, I’ve realized that this is okay.
At other times, Andrea encourages us to take a break if we aren’t able to breathe easily through a pose. Sometimes you just need to take that time in child’s pose in order to bring yourself back so you can continue your practice.
I have learned recently that this is true in life sometimes too. I usually think that we have to struggle through things and keep going, regardless of how we are feeling. Sometimes things are just so stressful or other factors in our lives make the things that used to be enjoyable (even if they were still a challenge) nearly impossible to complete. Sometimes it’s best to just take a breather, and refocus yourself so that you can finish. It doesn’t mean that you are less of a person, or a failure. It only means that you are listening to your body and honouring it.
