Yoga Practice, Not a Performance

Apr 20, 2012 | Yoga practices | 2 comments

The sun was shining this morning, the temperature balmy, and not a skerrick of a breeze – a respite from the hard rain we’ve had over the last few days. In the Yoga Shed, I felt inspired to do surya namaskar and included all the standing poses I could think up. Here they are: Tadasana, Vrshkasana (Tree Pose), Virabhadrasana 1,2,3 (the Warriors), Trikonasana & Parvritta Trikonasana (Triangle & Reverse), Parsvakonasana & Parvritta Parsvakonasana (Side Flank Pose & Reverse), Ardha Chandrasana & Parvritta Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon & Reverse), Parvottanasana, Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend), Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose), Utthita Padangusthasana (Extended Big Toe Pose), Pada Hastasana, Prasarita Padottonasana (Wide-leg Forward Bend), Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana. As an awareness exercise, I focussed on the physical adjustments I was making in each pose, as well as the sensations in my body. Invariably, long before my time in the pose was up, my mind would wander. Then, as I competed the pose, I noticed what I actually ended up thinking about. Unbidden thoughts, planning thoughts, judging thoughts… It’s humbling how much power mind chatter has in insinuating itself into yoga practice. Or at least, this is the way my mind was working. I like a line Kelly Fisher from Urban Yoga in New Zealand used in an interview about yoga: “This is why we call it practice and not performance.” No need to give yourself a hard time. That’s just giving your mind more power. Just keep noticing.

- Yoga Practice, Not a Performance

Tadasana

2 Comments

  1. great quote! and thanks for sharing your experience – the wandering mind is also something that I encountered particularly in this morning’s practice, so it was great to read that I wasn’t alone 🙂

    Reply
  2. Hi Eve,
    I love the line from Eve Grzybowski:
    “No need to give yourself a hard time. That’s just giving your mind more power. Just keep noticing.”
    Thanks,
    Jen

    Reply

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