Yoga practice is like life.

Each circumstance in which we find ourselves is like a pose.

Some poses are hard to hold; others are pleasant.

It is how we hold the pose that determines whether or not we will suffer or grow

And whether or not we will listen to the drama of the ego or the wisdom of the spirit.

 

I found this lovely little quote on a Squidoo page that is full of yoga themes and quotes and liked it so much, I used it in my yoga classes last week.

The only thing we have any control over is how we will react to the situations in our lives. This same control can flow into your yoga practice, and you can take this concept off the mat as well.

We can either take things on with a negative attitude, letting our egos get in the way, or we can open our hearts and minds to situations with a positive attitude.

We can encounter a difficult pose with a frown and a desire for it to be over as quickly as possible, or we can open ourselves to the challenge, breathing into the pose and having the wisdom to know that, with time, our bodies will become stronger and more flexible.

I complimented a student this week who has really progressed in her practice. When she first started she hated downward dog pose, and now she is flowing beautifully into it. When I told her this, she smiled but was quick to note that she still couldn’t get her heels to the floor. I assured her that some people (me included) may never get their heels to the floor. You don’t get a special yogi prize when the heels finally reach the floor; instead, each time you practice with an open heart, you get a little closer, a little stronger, and that is the best prize of all.