Roxy Yoga

acceptance March 3, 2009

Have you ever been in a yoga class and been frustrated at how little you could do? I frequently have students get angry and frustrated with themselves when they can’t “get” a yoga pose, it doesn’t feel good in their bodies, they feel frustrated and angry that they can’t do what “everyone else” can do. You may have also felt this off the mat, at work, in school, or in other life situations.

Today we tried to do the splits (a.k.a. monkey pose or hanumanasana) and the reaction from the class ranged from excitement, awkwardness, to complete frustration. I gently reminded the class to accept themselves where they are today, to love their bodies just as they are, but I sense that this is the bigger challenge in yoga and life than most people realize.

It has been my experience that only when I truly let go, almost forget about how bad I suck at something, yet keep showing up every day over and over and over again, do I ever find any kind of peace. It’s not just showing up either, you have to keep the genuine desire to improve and do so at your own pace, however slow that might need to be. You have to find real enjoyment in the process. True love of the homework, nitty gritty, leg shaking wonder that it day to day life. I wonder why it has become human nature to be so judgmental of ourselves, so critical, so unloving?

Until we find that acceptance, life will continually play it’s game and give us more that we aren’t good at, more tearful, scary situations, continually frustrating us until we learn that we are the ones who make the situations frustrating.