Yesterday was Mother’s Day. During this celebratory day, I tend to recall all the things I really love about my mother. She’s smart, strong, and kind. When I was a kid, I would occasionally get concerned about a test or some school work that was difficult for me. She would always reassure me and say “Just do your best”.
That’s stuck with me all these years. When there’s a situation I feel unprepared or nervous about, I go back to that advice and concentrate on bringing whatever I have to the table, doing my best.
Almost three months a student in my beginning class challenged herself to do yoga for 30 minutes a day for 90 days straight. I checked in with her last week and asked her how it was going. Seventy days into the challenge she has missed a couple of days; one because she was sick and one because she said she didn’t manage her time well. Her other remark was that she had learned a lot.
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When I asked her what she had learned her answer wasn’t that she had gotten a lot better at the yoga poses (although she had seen some improvement, of course), but that she had learned about herself. She learned yoga first thing in the morning wasn’t the best thing for her. She learned that when she practiced yoga, she was more patient with her young son. Yoga helped her “do her best”.
This is one of the hidden gems about yoga. A regular practice of yoga leads to self discovery. Doing the poses the best you can in the present moment requires self awareness, sensitivity, and a keen eye for the things that change. Sure, Warrior II and Downward Facing Dog get easier to do and easier to hold. In addition, yoga spills off the mat and leads to more poise, equanimity, and discovering a sense of self that is deep within.
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Why not try a yoga class at The Yoga Space? The Spring Two session just started last week. We have day time and evening classes that will fit your schedule. I’d love to have you join my beginning class Thursday nights at 5:45 PM.
Each week one of the teachers at the Yoga Space shares her thoughts and experiences in this blog. Pam Lindberg is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher at The Yoga Space, a studio just east of Dexter serving Saline, Chelsea, Manchester and Ann Arbor. We have been helping people with their flexibility, strength, focus and stress management for over 14 years. We offer a free class the last Friday of each month from 6-7 pm. 180 Little Lake Dr #1 Ann Arbor, MI, 48103. www.yogaspaceannarbor.com 734-622-9600