If your practice is causing you to feel unworthy, small, bad...
If your practice is taking something away from you
It is a milestone we sometimes meet
If it is really calling for your inner inquiry, just take a step back and examine if something needs to shift
Your attitude towards your practice
Your presence at practice
Your expectations
One way to stay focused is to have a clear purpose of why you practice.
Even if your purpose is to achieve as many asana's as possible- if this is really what makes you happy, don't let anyone rock your stage.
I see many discussions these days about what is yoga and what is not yoga. In India, almost everything is neti neti- not this, not that, as is yoga.
#yogaisnotjustasana
That is true
But if your yoga is just asana, don't be led into thinking that you are doing a lesser practice. Or that somehow, you are missing the point.
For me, after many years of practice, i no longer distinguish between what is and is not yoga (nor have i ever, because I started yoga before social media & it's definition has never been a discussion) Yoga is in everything that I do, every breath that I take, every thought, every emotion, every practice. But before I came to live like this, yoga for me was a lot of very awesome stuff i do with my body that made me feel great.
I still love asana practice and for me, asana & meditation is still at the core of what I deem to be my yoga practice. I practice because I have a strong tendency towards passivity, especially here, in my English home - I am still trying to figure out why. I also have this tendency to drop things when they are not going the way I want it to - perfectly, that is! When I fall into these habits, I become incredibly irritable and pissed off- which is not great for those around me. My practice supports me by reminding me daily that something does not have to be perfect to feel great. Moving - well... moving helps me get going. Above it all, having this time to be quiet, to focus internally, gives me clarity, peace and a sense of my centre. It keeps me connected to my true being- not the lazy, agro self that i can fall into. Those of you who know me might think that is not possible- well, it is, but you do not meet that person thanks to yoga (My husband meets that person sometimes. I am sure he will tell you LOL)
Just do what makes you happy
If you are doing what feels good for you, everyone around you is receiving those benefits.
When we are happy, we are more open, more giving, more kind, more of everything good and less of everything not so nice.
Not perfection
Just better.
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