Have you ever been in a yoga class and found yourself secretly competing with the person on the mat next to you? Pushing yourself to get your head to your knees in forward fold, or touching your heels in camel to bend back at maximum capacity even when your body is saying, ‘nope, not today’?
I can definitely say, I have observed my mind wanting to push past my body's wishes before! All because I wanted to prove that I could do something, maybe I’d feel inadequate if I didn’t get into the best pose I knew I was capable of, or I’d stay out and party because everyone else was, even though I’d prefer to be curled up in my pj’s with a good book.
Do you ever notice yourself pushing or forcing, out of this kind of inner game you play with yourself?
It’s interesting to see our motives, to observe the tendencies for competitiveness and forcefulness, seeing what is driving our actions, because when you bring light to these subtle behaviours, the spotlight is shined on them, and they lose their appeal as you see that you’re creating unnecessary suffering!
We don’t mean to do it, it’s just that we are so conditioned to achieve and hustle, that we unconsciously create a division inside of ourselves. What if, instead of pushing ourselves we simply went with the immediate flow of life as it unfolds, acknowledging where we are this instant and being okay with whatever that looks like?
If we pay attention and acknowledge life as it’s happening, it’s possible to meet and be honest with ourselves as we are, rather than escaping to what the mind thinks we or life ought to be like. And in the absence of seeking something different we might find a natural peacefulness inside.
Slow down and listen in
It’s the new hustle
If your heart space is saying leaning all the way back in camel pose today is too much, then a half bend is perfect, or even better still rest in childs pose. Even if everyone else is doing it - just do you. There is nothing you need to prove to yourself or anyone else.
If you don’t feel all love and light and positivity in a moment, that’s super cool. Spirituality isn’t a show, or competition of who's the most centered all of the time. If it requires effort, then it’s inauthentic. There’s no act you need to put on, no character to uphold. If sadness arises, let it flow, it’s just energy - you’re not broken and nothing is wrong.
You don’t live in a state of deficiency, seduced by the idea that more is always better. When you slow down and appreciate what you have, you stop obsessing over what you think you want, and melt into the long lost art of being with what you have.
It may seem counterproductive or paradoxal, but the less you force, the more life flows, and without the tension created by the mind and its constant search for improvement, you can move and live from inspired joy rather than friction. And, you may even enjoy asana in a whole new way!
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