It amazes me that no matter how many times I show up for my yoga practice, I experience something new with each pose if I'm mindful during the process. This is especially true for the poses I do on a daily basis. I've been doing the sequence from the Master Class section of Yoga Journal for a couple of weeks now and I notice different sensations in my body, I am very aware of what my mind is doing, and how I feel afterwards.
A couple of the times I did this sequence, I was unable to get into a relaxed supported shoulder stand. I adjusted and readjusted to hit that sweet spot, but nothing worked, and I left the practice feeling frustrated. However, a few days before that, it seemed that the supported shoulder stand was effortless. I did not keep track of the time I was in the posture, but I would guess it was between five and seven minutes. And I felt so light and free when I came out of the pose.
My biggest hangup with doing yoga is my expectations of my practice. I "expect" that I'll feel better after yoga, that my muscles will soften and respond, that my mind will remain peaceful throughout my practice. What I find frustrating is that when these "expectations" do not turn out as I want them to, I become disappointed. So, what I continually work on is to just be with my body, my thoughts, and allow my practice to unfold as it should. If I can remember the saying, all in good time, that helps me to put my practice into perspective. So when I have days where my practice doesn't leave me feeling better or freer, I just need to remember, that maybe just showing up for my yoga practice is enough. I also think when my practice becomes more challenging, I may actually be experiencing new levels of deepening into the stretch, and my body is trying to make the adjustments needed so that my body will be safe.
For all those who celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope your day is filled with many blessings. Namaste.
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