A yogini of habit (Part 2)

"You'll never know if you don't try."

Now, I am generally not one to employ cliche  motivational sayings... but, as luck would have it today that is just what I have to write about. 

This week I had the opportunity to help a fellow yoga teacher, the lovely Brenna Matthews, with a yoga photo shoot.  The photographer, one of my dearest friends, Omar Robinson, who has done many shoots for me so I invited myself along for the ride under the guise of helping direct Brenna's poses and holding big shiny reflectors to help Omar control the light.  As Brenna and I chatted about the poses she was thinking of doing, I began to realize she was planning on doing poses I was no where close to getting.  Which is fine, as a teacher I am able to explain a lot of poses that I cannot yet execute but, because of my understanding of what needs to happen, have had my students do so. 

I must have told Brenna how one pose in particular, chin stand, had eluded me.  I have had many students rock out in class and, I have to admit I have attempted to get into it a few times, and failed spectacularly.  After that chin stand got put into a little corner in my mind, the one where I keep many other poses that I have deemed as something that just doesn't work for me and my practice at this point.  Brenna shook her head at me - "you can do chin stand" ...  I shook it off saying "well I guess I will have to come to one of your classes so you can teach me how to do it" and left it at that. 

The next day while I was practicing in my room before teaching,  I heard Brenna's words echoing in my mind and I figured - what the heck... can't hurt to try.  I came into down dog, extended my right leg and rolled forward into three legged plank.  Keeping the right leg high I tapped my chin down on the floor and took a few hops with my left.  By the third hop I was shocked to realize - I was balancing.  without a wall behind me.  Sometimes all it takes is just a bit of space from a difficult pose, and after a month or so checking back in... and you might be surprised.  But, you'll never know if you don't try. 

One of the most encouraging and amazing things about a yoga practice is that it is always evolving.  With a consistent and steady practice little by little your body will open, strengthen and prepare you for your future practice.  Even if you don't constantly practice inversions or arm balances, by working more "simple" poses like plank, down dog, and warriors with precision and intention you may be surprised the next time you check in with those more "advanced" asanas. 

So take a chance, yeah you might look silly but so what?  At least you tried and who knows... maybe you will sur