When I decided that I wanted to start my own Yoga program, it wasn't just because I wanted to teach more. It was because I wanted to create a space and program that I could infuse with my own thoughts and values about practising Yoga. I feel like my manifesto for the Your Best Yoga program touches on each of the values that I hope to bring to the program and I want to spend some time "breaking down" each line of it for better understanding. Read more about the first line of the Manifesto here!
We can always find an excuse not to do something. Sometimes that excuse is legitimate - you are injured so you can't come to a yoga class - and other times, the excuses are barriers to us being or doing our best. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutra's there is a list of "9 obstacles" or "vikshepas" to the practice of Yoga, and they range from illness to doubt and laziness (but perhaps we should leave Patanjali for another day :) Look it up if this is your area of interest though!). The reason I wanted to include this second line of the Your Best Yoga Manifesto is because I feel that a lot of people encounter the obstacle of fear, which stops them from trying Yoga.
People fear they won't be able to do it. Fear what people will think of them. Fear what their body is or isn't capable of. Fear of the unknown. Fear of looking silly. Fear of failing. Fear of hurting themselves. Etc. Etc..... Now, I'm not saying not to feel that fear. I'm saying if you feel it, I want you to commit to showing up on the mat anyways. Commit to yourself. Commit to trying something new, that may just make you feel fantastic! Commit to trying your best - no matter what. Let me tell you a little story that may really drive my point home...
My mom has had two knee replacements and has never done Yoga before. When I told her I was going to be offering a Beginner class she said she wanted to sign up, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to do it because of her knee replacements, as she can't put pressure on her knees which makes it difficult to get up off the floor and limits some of the other poses in the practice. I told her that I would happily modify poses for her if she wanted to attend and would make sure she felt safe throughout the practice. I really wasn't sure if she would sign up, to be honest. But then, one morning I had an email that someone had registered for the beginner class - and it was my mom. I sent her a text to let her know I received her registration and she asked where she could go to purchase a mat. She was committed!! When I spoke to her next she told me that she was looking forward to the class because she felt that she could really benefit from the increased movement and flexibility and then she said: "well I'm going to try and if I can't do it, well then I will just lay there I guess, but I'm going to try!". THIS IS COMMITTING TO SHOWING UP ON YOUR MAT, NO MATTER WHAT!!! She was going to show up, do her best, even if that meant she could do very little. She was committing to bettering herself and doing her best. Unfortunately, my mom came across another real obstacle of an injury right before the session started, so she was not able to attend, but she will be there next session - and I couldn't be happier or more proud :)
Hope to see you in the next Your Best Yoga beginner session or in one of the Go with the Flow classes, happening every Wednesday evening from 7:30-8:30 until February 10th. The next session will start up February 24th and the details will be coming out soon so keep checking back for registration and class info!