Wisdom from a fellow yogini

After a year of failed attempts, roomie and I finally got a decent picture of the two of us!

I was thinking during yoga practice today of what separates some yogis from the rest of the pack. I don't mean it in a competitive way, but there are yogis who practice for years and years without any breakthrough, and then there are yogis who seem to really take to the practice and grow. My friend Madeline said it well this weekend when she said there are yogis who play it safe and have a maintainance practice, and there are yogis who challenge themselves and don't shy away from their edge. The edge is that fine line between pushing yourself too far, and challenging yourself. The first is driven by the ego. It is driven by the need to achieve at the cost of your own body, and it goes against some of the foundational principles of yoga philosphy: non-grasping, non-harming, non-stealing, self-study. The second is driven by being true to who we are and working to reach our full potential. A lot of yoga teachers tell students to be true to who they are. Most of the time that is taken to mean don't push yourself farther than you are able to go. However, it also means to not cheat ourselves from reaching our full potential - to not hold back when it is safe and possible to keep going. Of course, we are limited by our bodies. There is a woman who I see often in yoga classes whose body is naturally inflexible. But she has the most beautiful practice to me because despite the limitations of her body, she shows up to the mat and works her edge on a daily basis.

The reason I thought of this was because I was thinking of my friend Madeline's life. Her life isn't perfect, but she is physically one of the most talented yoginis I know, and careerwise, everything she touches turns into gold. I often wondered what her secret to success was. When she made that comment about the two types of yoga practices, it clicked for me. Madeline is successful the way she is because a) she has the talent to begin with, but also b) she doesn't play it safe. In yoga and in life she finds her edge and keeps challenging herself to play with that edge.

That's when I realize that in my yoga practice and in my Psychology career, sometimes I have to challenge myself to go beyond what is comfortable. I have to dive into the unknown, to keep going when I think I have nothing left because frankly, most of the time the barrier is psychological.