“ When I first learned Pinchamayurasana I fell over and over. One day I even fell over more than 20 times. I was impatient and determined. Then after eighteen months of trying and falling the balance came and stayed. Yes, you read that correctly, it took me a full year and a half of trying every day to learn how to balance in a simple forearm balance. While I was learning I used the wall once a week and I mostly practiced on my own so I never even had the chance to have someone catch me. When I went to the wall I stayed for twenty-five breaths to build strength. When I toppled over I picked my body right back up and tried again. My back was always more flexible than I was strong so in order for me to learn how to balance in this posture I had to learn to be strong enough to control my spine. Pinchamayurasana was a lesson in patience (I am not a naturally patient person), perseverance (I wanted to quit nearly everyday) and ultimately a lesson in self-confidence (I had to learn to believe in the idea of my own strength). Every posture has its own time and its own lesson for each person. They key is to be willing to put in the work whenever you face a moment of difficulty, pain or suffering.
vksasana - much preparation needed ;P
(Source: upliftedvibrations)
Every time that I reached a limit in my practice, Guruji and Sharath would say, “You have to be stronger,” and I got so frustrated. I was like, “Well, how do I do that?” Be stronger. I was like, “I don’t get it. You know, I don’t get it.” So my tendency is to quit. You know, like when things are rough, I want to quit. You know, when things don’t work out, I want … like in the practice, I reach my physical limit like “Oh, I can’t” and that’s what comes up for me. The notion is here is “Don’t quit. Don’t give up. You have to be strong enough to believe in yourself. If you don’t take a stand for your dream, no one will. You have to be stronger.” How do you be stronger? You DECIDE. You DECIDE. It’s a decision. It’s that Śraddhā that says that I know this to be true because I will work everyday to assure that it’s true. If I take five steps forward and I take five steps back, I will take five steps forward again. I will pick up the pieces and humbly put in the work no matter how low I need to start from, no matter how long it takes. I will work everyday to make this true. I will stand up for this because I believe in it ‘cause I know it to be true. — Kino MacGregor on strength
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschinmattanasana
Ustrasana - 2nd Series
Practice. All is coming. Doing my yoga practice. #ashtanga
Paschinmattanasana at Jois Yoga (w/ a signature Saraswathi squish :P)
