"Just Being In The Room Is 'Yoga.'"
"I just can't seem to find the motivation to go to yoga."
This was a message conversation I was having with some earlier this week. The person has been feeling a lack of pull to get to a yoga class, and was asking me how I deal with moments like that... If I even had them.
Oh how I laughed.
I deal with them ALL OF THE TIME.
Even after practicing for over 11 years at this point. Even after being a teacher for the majority of those 11 years. I struggle with my personal practice all of the time. That's part of the reason I am doing this 101-day challenge, and why I don't regularly teach.
"The most important thing is to just get into the room," I told them. "Once you get to the room, all else doesn't matter. Just being in the room is progress and is yoga."
That's the thing to keep in mind. For teachers and for students. It's not just the body that is in a different place each day which can affect your practice... The mind is in a different place each day. From the thoughts it carries to the chemistry happening within it. And some days, all you can do is just muster the energy to get to the room.
"Shit," I told them, "I just had a class last night where I sat out a whole third of it. My mind and body were just not having it. And I've been practicing a long time and am a teacher."
"So don't worry about anyone judging you. From the teacher to other students. Most likely, other students aren't paying attention to you in class. And the teacher is there to help. And if you feel like the teacher is judging you in a bad way, well, fuck them."
And really... Truly... If someone is going to make you feel badly about yourself for just being in the studio or where your practice is for that day... Well, then... I say they can go fuck themselves.
You do you. Forget everyone else. If you spend your time worrying about what others think of you, you'll never get as far as you could.
This was a message conversation I was having with some earlier this week. The person has been feeling a lack of pull to get to a yoga class, and was asking me how I deal with moments like that... If I even had them.
Oh how I laughed.
I deal with them ALL OF THE TIME.
"The most important thing is to just get into the room," I told them. "Once you get to the room, all else doesn't matter. Just being in the room is progress and is yoga."
That's the thing to keep in mind. For teachers and for students. It's not just the body that is in a different place each day which can affect your practice... The mind is in a different place each day. From the thoughts it carries to the chemistry happening within it. And some days, all you can do is just muster the energy to get to the room.
"Shit," I told them, "I just had a class last night where I sat out a whole third of it. My mind and body were just not having it. And I've been practicing a long time and am a teacher."
"So don't worry about anyone judging you. From the teacher to other students. Most likely, other students aren't paying attention to you in class. And the teacher is there to help. And if you feel like the teacher is judging you in a bad way, well, fuck them."
And really... Truly... If someone is going to make you feel badly about yourself for just being in the studio or where your practice is for that day... Well, then... I say they can go fuck themselves.
You do you. Forget everyone else. If you spend your time worrying about what others think of you, you'll never get as far as you could.
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