I hope you’ve enjoyed the series of interviews on the blog over the last week. Isn’t it interesting the way all our yoga journeys are so different yet so similar?
I am back from the yoga conference, filled with new found hope, belief in what I do, sincerity and confidence. I’m still processing the things I learned, a lot of which will appear on the blog over the next few months but for now, readers, I want to share something very important with you.
Whether you believe you can, or whether you believe you can’t – you’re right!!
We all hold fear in it’s many disguises. I hold mine behind a wall of ill health, crooked shoulders, curved spine and wonky hips. But behind that fear is the ability to do anything.
Last week I worked quite intensely with Bob Insley, a wonderful British yoga teacher. He’s not swanky good looks or LA tan so he barely gets a look in when it comes to worldwide yoga. He’s just an guy from South London. But he has so much. Over two somewhat gruelling (but rewarding) days last week I discovered that my amazing wonderful limitless body can do things I thought I’d lost forever.
So my bound Parsvokonasana (see above) doesn’t look quite like the yoga police might want it to. I’m “meant” to be looking up, but my neck doesn’t like going that way when my chest is open, but guess what I learned? It’s OK to look down! I learned that where my feet are in standing poses should be where my feet want to be, not where some mythical perfect-footed person wants to put their feet. I learned it’s OK to float my arms hither and yon in Warrior 3 and I learned that Visvamritasana with one leg and one arm bent is still Visvamritasana.
Doing it differently does not equate to doing it sloppily.
Never let yourself believe you can’t. Because you can, in your own unique beatiful and perfect way.
Sometimes we focus too much on the “perfect asana” when really there is no such thing. There is only perfect for you. We focus too much on the endgame and not enough on the journey, getting into and out of the posture is just as important as being there. And therein is a metaphor for life, but I’ll let you work that out for yoursevles!
Have a great Monday readers, and look out later for a giveaway!!
Thank you for the note and thoughts about Bob Insley. Although I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him, I wholeheartedly agree with the related sentiment. I’m beyond tired of the celebriyogi or celebriyogini. Blech. Go Bob. Keepin’ it real.
I posted this quote from Gandhi on my facebook this morning : “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning”. Maybe we could add “in my own and beautiful way”
Thanks for this post Rachel!
YAY for going away to a conference and coming back more yogafied! “Whether you believe you can, or whether you believe you can’t – you’re right!! – I love this and thank you for reminding me it really is that simple.
Lovely post. So true!!
This post is kind of similar to what Linda Sama just wrote about in a post called Bad Yoga?.
There is no “perfect” way of doing any asana! Glad you had such a great time, and thanks for asking me to be a part of your interview series
[...] like Linda’s and Rachel’s recent posts on the myth of “perfect asana”, I wanted to find a way for my student/friend to [...]
love this. what a perfect experience!
(ps- YAY BIND!!!!)
Yes, yes, yes . . . “whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, either way, you’re right!” Yes!
Such a perfect message! It is so easy to get lost in the journey when you are so focused on the results. Thanks for the reminder that I CAN do it!
Rachel – this is such a lovely post! I’m storing this one away in the noggin for next time in yoga class and beating myself up for not looking as pretty as everyone else. I’m gonna rock my yoga poses in my own beautiful way!