I wrote the newsletter for The Mat Yoga Studio this month (October) and picked history as a theme to explore. While I landed on the theme thinking of some fun way to tie into the Halloween holiday, it settled in my mind as an important thing to remember with a yoga practice. And in this case, I am talking more about the physical practice to illustrate both why history does – and also may not – matter.
In the case of it “not mattering,” so to speak, is in growth. If I went to class and practiced only what I had been able to do before, I wouldn’t experience other poses. A great example is with balancing poses (be it arm balances or even a pose like Half Moon), but it could also mean that I don’t try with different modifications or with props. And I’ve found over the years that some props help me expand in a pose that I may not have done otherwise – looking at you, Triangle.
When I have an opportunity to try poses again, I can see where I’ve come from. It may be building up strength or perhaps a greater understanding of how different muscles work together, and therefore how to engage what and when. It doesn’t matter that I may not have been able to practice a pose before, only that I can learn from that and I keep trying. Or I can understand how to modify to still get the benefits, if the full expression isn’t working for me.
History matters to understand where I’ve come from, but not to keep me there.
But it can also be a reminder of where I can get back to after a pause in my practice. This may be after vacation or just life getting in the way, but when I’m getting back to class after a few weeks “off,” it can certainly be frustrating to feel a stiffness that hadn’t been there before (or been there in a while), or a pose – like chaturanga – that just feels hard.
I can look back and see I’ve been here before. There have been other periods where something came up and I wasn’t as regular with my practice. I came back to my mat then and built back up the strength and the muscle memory. Yes, it can be frustrating to not be “there” after a pause, but in those moments, I’ve reminded myself to breathe and remember I can do it again.
I had a lot of fun exploring a theme for The Mat’s monthly newsletter. Every month I look forward to the newsletter popping into my inbox and seeing what themes teachers may wish to explore. I also love seeing what workshops and events are coming up at the studio. If you’re not receiving the newsletter, take a look at The Mat’s website for info on signing up.
This is the part of a series of posts for The Mat Yoga Studio, sharing my thoughts and observations as a student only. The views and opinions are my own experience.
