People who are new to yoga might feel like those of us who are committed, have spent hours and hours on the mat, with their breath and balancing on one leg are pretty smug about our achievements. Beginners might be motivated by strong desires for perfection, to strive for control and mastery over their body. Thank goodness yoga isn't about any of that.
Buddhists talk about the mind like a garden and our thoughts are the content of it. Gardens can be overgrown, full of weeds, or blooming lovely. Gardens require the right effort (another key Buddhist teaching) and patience. Plants need space and some time to grow, they can’t be hurried and they’re unapologetically themselves. The fruit tree doesn't try to make itself smaller, to be cute and tiny like a daisy. The sunflowers don’t hold back from showing their brilliance. We can (and will this month) learn a lot from plants.
The hundreds of hours some yogis have invested in practice have been spent liberating ourselves from rigidity, rules and receiving approval from others. Gardening, removing weeds, turning them to compost to nurture new growth.
It's never too late to re/ start yoga. As the saying goes; the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.
Click here for my class details or to learn about private yoga sessions.
Comments