My perspective in Yoga

When I first started my yoga practice, I have no expectations. I only want to enjoy it. Enjoy doing it and be healthy. And I found that in yoga, every pose that I started to practice more of an understanding towards was a humbling thing. It’s like wow, I can’t believe that I can do this. That was kind of my point of view. And of course celebrating all the small things that I have learned!

With inversion or some arm balancing poses, it almost feels like the fact that I have been practicing for more than 2 years, I can’t hold a stable handstand or pincha until now. It’s almost like you feel that your body owe you something because you have been working on it for so long. The poses are just to understand yourself better. It just means that maybe I’m not ready yet, or maybe it’s a mental (fear) or a strength thing. These poses are just meant for you to get to know yourself better and a way to learn something. You are not entitled to holding your handstand or doing other challenging poses. Yoga is a chance to see yourself where you can be at peace, and to have this great sense of compassion. It’s something that I’m grateful for. One of my most attended classes’ instructor always mentions this in his class, “Be on your own limits, but when I say push harder, you are the one that knows your capabilities. And don’t forget to keep breathing”. It gets to my mind that with dedication of practice, a person that is not flexible or strong will improve better.

Overall, this yoga practice has helped me to see that it’s not only a way to stay fit, but also mind-body awareness. Being mindful in my poses – what I eat, breathe and think to stay healthy.

 

– A. Natalia