building strength

The moment I heard Mel said that our class today would focus on building strength, I imagined myself wilting on my mat because I came to class knowing that I am not in my strongest. In fact, I have been feeling weak and wobbly on the mat for the past week. But I was determined to see through the entire 75 minutes of class and I always think that counts more than physical strength.

I've been practicing yoga for 11 weeks now. There are still times when I ask myself why I take the time to come to class especially when I'm feeling weak (like today) on the first 10 minutes on the mat and I feel like my body won't be able to hold up poses other than the savasana. The thing I like about yoga is that it always connects my mind to my body that at the end of the practice, I walk away from the mat with the answer. I take the effort to come to class because yoga directs my awareness inwards - to myself and to all the little places in my body that I do not normally pay attention to. The time I practice yoga is truly the only time I give wholly to myself because on the mat, I only have my body to control and to listen to with nothing else to distract me.

I rarely allow myself to fall behind the usual pace of the class but today, I did. When I started to feel bad, I reminded myself that it's ok because being kind to my body is as important. And so I really liked how Mel said that our bodies are different every day. It is true for me. Sometimes I feel how much I have progressed from the first time I stepped on a mat at the studio; other times, I realize I still have so far to go. Writing about it now, I realize that moments like those - moments that build confidence and moments that put me back in my place - are important in keeping me grounded and staying humble so that I will always be kind to my body.

And because practicing yoga brings so much light in my life, I have made the commitment of practicing for a year. Here's to a great yoga year ahead!