Elizabeth led us through a series of therapeutic asanas in class this week, where as is typical, some people easily folded into whatever posture she was guiding, and others, well, not so much. Elizabeth said she (like me) used to compare herself to the practitioner on the next mat and berate herself for not being as flexible, not being able to do the pose or hold the pose. But then she came to realize that instead, she could be excited about those challenges! If it's easy, that's not where one needs to work. It's the challenging poses that show us where we are weak, stiff, sore, and unbalanced. Instead of lamenting this, we can say...."Yay! My body is showing me where it needs me to focus!" Putting attention and intention in this area will result in big benefits in growing stronger, more supple, and balanced over time.
Makes sense, right?
The other thing that happened at that class was the number of people who showed up on a rainy, blustery Wednesday morning. There were 30 people jammed into the studio, with one late-comer who decided to unfurl her mat in the entryway and follow along through the open door. Being the sensitive teacher she is, Elizabeth immediately acknowledged that the unusually close proximity to our "neighbor" on the next mat might be uncomfortable for some people. We generally have the luxury of spreading out more at Yoga Circle. (I've seen big city classes where mats are about 6 inches from each other on all sides!)
As she asked us to consider how this felt, and to acknowledge without judgment, this feeling, I realized that I did, indeed, feel a bit crowded and uncomfortable. I never want to be in anyone's way nor intrude in any way on their space. And I don't really like people invading my space either. We Americans have a need for "personal space" that is a greater distance than in some cultures and this is especially true of we introverts. But what I discovered as the class went on was that without even really interacting with those around me I started to feel close to them, in a "friendly" way. We were a community of sorts and I felt warmed by the presence of those close to my mat.
The following day, with its brilliant blue sky and sunshine, fewer folks came to class. There were seven of us and we had vast expanses of space around us. I ended up feeling a bit lonely! I loved that I wasn't worried about intruding on anyone, but I also realized that the energy was dispersed and I felt more alone in my practice.
I learned more about my own comfort by experiencing and acknowledging my discomfort in both classes. Just as Elizabeth had taught us -- there is wisdom to be found in focusing on that muscle which needs more stretching. I learned I can adjust to a crowd; I feel lonelier than I thought I would when in sparsely populated areas; and my Goldilocks middle ground is appreciated when it happens, but I can be OK with whatever comes.
Celebrate discomfort! ©
Namaste, donnajurene
Photo Credit: Copyright: <a href='https://www.123rf.com/profile_racorn'>racorn / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
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