Yoga PRACTICE versus Yoga PERFORMANCE…
Do you feel pressure to perform your Yoga poses, rather than practice your Yoga postures?
I believe we should listen to our bodies to find our correct alignment and pace. You will have noticed there are no mirrors in the Green Tree Yoga studio. That’s because I would like you to notice how the pose feels rather than how it looks. I also find mirrors quite distracting – they encourage us to look critically not only at ourselves, but to notice others around us – who may be stronger or more flexible – and Yoga shouldn’t be competitive.
If you’ve been to one of my classes you’ve probably heard me say that we don’t do ‘instagram Yoga in class’. Yoga is a practice, I’ve been practising it for longer than I care to admit … and I’m still working on many of the postures. I’ve also ‘retired’ some of the postures that my body just doesn’t like any more.
It’s lovely to be complimented on a pose, but I encourage you to notice how a Yoga pose feels rather than how it looks. No two people in class will be identical. Everyones body is different and can change on a daily basis. One day you may have perfect balance, the next day you may feel the need to hold onto the wall.
It’s called Yoga practice for a reason. But in this day of social media we are bombarded with images of beautiful people in poses that seem impossible – believe me I’ve looked at many poses and thought ‘I’ll give that a try’ only to find out what looked beautifully simple really wasn’t that simple at all.
Asanas, or postures, are only a tiny part of a Yoga practice. Most of what goes on during a Yoga class will be taking place inside our bodies, and that is everyone’s personal and private journey. I am there to guide you during class, during your practice, and to suggest how your body may adjust within a pose, or maybe offer a slight adjustment – but I can only see what’s going on on the surface. I can’t see what’s going on inside, how your body feels in the pose, what is going through your mind.
So when you come to your mat, please take a moment to notice how your body feels, what’s running through your mind, and be gentle to yourself if your energy levels are a little low. If you’re in a good place I’ll guide you through some stronger postures but only if your body is ready for them.
Unroll your mat, breath, listen to your body and slowly unfold into your practice.
NAMASTE
