I walked into my first yoga class with no background in movement training or sports of any kind. It was no surprise that I couldn’t get a thing right and frankly, I was a bit disappointed! Earlier, my level of physical activity was rather limited to walking when necessary and nothing more. I have always had a petite physique but the stiffness in my body was quite a shocking discovery. As I attended more classes, I could feel my body slowly opening up and beautifully blooming into some asanas that seemed impossible before! Doing yoga made me feel good in my body and mind.
Consistent practice presents new perspective about the vast discipline of yoga but it keeps changing with time and more experience. To me, at this phase, the practice of yoga is unfailing dedication and commitment. It’s about showing up on the mat every day to remind myself that I’m capable of greatness and to always keep trying to get better. It’s about getting to know my true self, to fully understand my body, to observe my mind and quietly transform into the best version of myself!
The lessons of yoga go far beyond your mat. They present challenges, make you work hard, test your patience, make you stubborn and sometimes even gets on your last nerve! All of this, just to knock your ego down and keep you grounded. You eventually learn to break barriers and savour the sweet taste of success on an unexpected day when you ease into an asana that’s been teasing you for days, months or a year maybe!
Over the years, yoga has made me stronger as a person. To go deeper into the practice you need to reach that place of pain, fully experience it and then pass through to meet greater heights. It’s definitely not easy and takes you on an emotional roller coaster but it’s every bit worth the effort! I’ve experienced hard times, given up practice out of frustration because of not being able to do some asanas even after several days of trying and have also lost interest! These outbreaks have been instrumental in my journey for they’ve made me introspect, get to the root of my problems, positively change my approach towards the situation and accept my shortcomings. I then would get right back up on the mat, start trying all over again but this time with more patience and a little bit of love! It’s worked like magic for me!
Also, it’s important to not force yourself into an asana. There’s a thin line between trying and forcing so learn to listen to your body and follow your heart! Don’t push but just pause and slow things down! It’s okay if you can’t do an asana perfectly but it’s not okay to give up. It’s the effort that counts, the more you try the better you learn. Even on the laziest day, just get on your mat for a few minutes and practice as little as you can. It really makes a difference and might even motivate you to do more!
Vasuda Giri is a Yoga guru and teaches corporate set ups and individuals to breathe deeper and live better. You can get in touch with via her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/yogabhoomi