Being content

Downward facing dog, Germany, September 2024

Well, my injury at the front left hip still does not allow me to do all the asanas I would like to do. Especially the twists are impossible. But I am realizing progress. I will remain patient and see every day what is possible and what is not.

I took my yoga mat with me on a short trip to Lake Garda in Italy. I only managed to practice once. Most hotel rooms are too small and not inviting to do gymnastics on the floor. The one hotel I stayed at had a roof terrace with deckchairs and sunshades. I rolled out my mat next to it. There were children romping around. I smiled at them when they looked over at me. They didn't smile back. Whatever. After a while, I noticed that they were imitating my positions. That's how learning happens. The positions looked perfect. At seven, the body is still soft and flexible, at least for most.

It was a pleasure for me to practice.

Now I'm back home.

I am curious about what September will bring. You can't expect to get better every day. Often you learn in crises, or when you have to overcome difficulties.

Injuries are always a form of feedback. I find weight machines are not so suitable. I can become much stronger by practicing callisthenics. Lifting my own body weight is enough for now.

I wish you relaxed practice.

Patience

Whenever an asana works on stretching body parts it’s good advice to have patience. It takes time to stretch. Being overambitious causes injuries. Injuries are setbacks. Sometimes indicating an asana might be enough. It’s better to establish again a daily yoga routine than to force the body into a position that is too demanding. Especially after a break one must take it easy. It is disappointing to lose asanas. As in life there are ups and downs.

Knowing when to give 90 % and when not is something we learn over time. I wrote 90 % because we cannot give every day 100 %. I even read that sports people get to better results when they take it easy.

To hold an asana longer than only 5 breaths will help to advance relatively fast.

What is worth doing, is worth doing daily.

To practice daily is so much better, than to have long and intensive practices once in a while. This might sound banal, but it’s true.