In All Earnestness

During a wonderful practice with Amy Fecher, one of the great teachers at Practice Yoga, I get three things I love. Yoga, Sweat and Spirituality.

Great asana that crumples you up, or twists you around and bends you so at the end, you are open. In reality, you don't feel mashed at all. At the end of class, I feel all ironed out. I'm smooth. I am oh so happy. 

The sweat means I'm warm. I'm working. My Ujjayi is rolling in and out. All the toxins and bad vibes are seeping through my skin and on the surface. Taking a towel I can wipe them away. There are points when I don't even have to. It can't hold on for it's life and drips to puddles on my mat. 

When my mind wandered in savasana, as it often does, I won't even deny it (and neither should you) I noticed what it was actually wandering too. Oooh, I should make a smoothie with that frozen fruit I have, I'm glad I have been practicing daily lately, My body feels so good it's like it's not even there. I think I may be my soul right now, a bit outside of my limbs. 

Amy always says, "You are already there." I Love That! Every time. I am already there. When she says it, my mind immediately perks up with excitement and victory. Yeah I am! I'm good. I am who I am supposed to be. There is no battle, I already won. Everything I think is not going to be okay, already is okay. 

Another thing I notice is, I go to her class knowing full well I can't keep up with everything but I Don't Mind. I go to her class and am willing to modify the heck out of whatever I need to or just child pose for a moment. Like all beginners, and some not, I don't always feel completely at ease when everyone else is still flowing. That's normal. The point is, for the most part I am fine. The moment of not appreciating where I am at passes rather quickly. Realizing this today opened my mind up to my own home practice and Mysore style. 

The reason I don't feel the same for my home practices is for the fact I don't come to it with the same attitude. I skip a pose because I know I'm not there yet, even though I probably could at least try. I leave out a few vinyasa's to save energy to finish the practice  later. That is Not giving my all to myself! I understand, you are not supposed to wear yourself out. I am not saying that. You Do however have the obligation to put whatever you have into it. Be fine with the fact you know good and well you can't keep up and Modify the heck out of it! 

After class my mind went to the Yoga Sutra's I am making my way through. The Sutra that hit home the most so far is "Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness" (I.14). Did you catch it? "With All Earnestness"! I go into Amy's lovely class completely comfortable with my skill level and give it all I have. That is how my practice will grow if I can do it For Myself and On My Own! No matter what practice, whose practice or where, in order to reach my fullest physical, mental and spiritual potential I must approach it with all earnestness or I will forever stay stagnant. 

Thanks Amy for the wonderful class again! I really learned a lot today!

Namaste my Friends,

~Chelle aka Writer Yogi