Observations from a Yoga Teacher

 By: Jennifer Moreland RYT500

We all have attachments. Whether healthy, unhealthy, small or large, people, places, material things, social media, life outcomes and…Yoga poses.

Yoga poses? Why? For what? As a yoga instructor I encounter all body types, sizes, injuries and physical limitations. I love the variety because it challenges me to learn from my students. They teach me. So when a new student or long time practitioner asks me about a certain pose or variation I say let’s try it. Let’s work our form, learn proper technique and see what happens. Sometimes the pose happens and sometimes it doesn’t. Most of the time a good reaction comes from the student even if they didn’t achieve the pose.  It was fun to try, fun to fall and they lose a bit of fear or a preconceived thought they had about it. They enjoyed the journey and will keep trying.  Healthy goals right? But then there are some that get extremely frustrated because their bodies were unable to bend, twist, bind or hold the pose. They shake their heads in disgust with themselves. Criticism follows with those famous words: I’ll never be able to do that.  When I remind them, it’s a practice, it’s a lifetime journey, yoga is measured in decades, have fun or don’t take it too seriously I usually get a sarcastic remark back and it’s all good. My thought process was the same when I started so I can totally relate. There’s not a pose that is worth hurting ourselves or over working areas of the body to get there. With time and patience we learn that the negative self talk and self doubt needs to stop.

But perhaps, we observe (without judgment) ourselves and others. Observe our reactions when things don’t go our way. Observe others reactions and struggles. All through the eyes of compassion. What about the guy who can hold his handstand for a full minute but has super tight hips? The lady who can get both feet behind her head but cannot do crow pose? The dedicated lady who never misses a class but still can’t touch her toes?  We learn from observation. Not by judging but by noticing that everyone has their struggles and limitations. We are ALL working on something. And we keep going, we keep trying. Moments of frustration will come of course and we must be kind to ourselves during this struggle. Compassion starts from within so we can radiate that outward. Are we a better person once we achieve our handstand? Are we more spiritually evolved once our feet are behind our head? Why are we concerned about touching our toes? Observe THAT—why and what’s the purpose? A teacher of mine once said, “I know a lot of jerks that have a rockin’ handstand. But their attitudes and ego could use some work. Achieving a pose will not make you a better person.”

Of course, set a healthy goal, work hard to achieve it but have patience with the body and the mind to get there. Even as a yoga teacher there are several poses I still struggle with. Body and mind limitations I struggle with daily. Yoga has a way to humble us and remind us that everything right now is how it should be. Why do we allow ourselves to struggle even further into self doubt, negative self talk and even criticize ourselves? It’s a lifetime practice. And if we continue our yoga journey beautiful things will happen. The body and mind will let us in, something starts to open, release, let go and then we might just have success in that super important pose we were attached to.  Practice with body and mind compassion.  Namaste.

Jennifer Moreland RYT500 Dallas, TX  Instagram: jennmyogabliss