I've had some lessons in being humble this week in rocking backwards from arm pressure posture. It's made me think about the importance of humility not only in yoga but in life too.
How many times do we hear people talk about 'my this' or 'my that' in taking ownership or credit for something? I'm sure we've all heard, 'I need to have', or 'I need to get' or, 'I deserve'. We all have an ego and the chances are we catch ourselves thinking or saying these things from time to time too.
One of the main teachings in the Bhagavad Gita 2.47 is that we are taught do our duty and not to get caught up with an end result https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/2/verse/47
Revisiting arm pressure pose this week has certainly reminded me of that! There's been lots of falling out and people asking themselves, 'Why can't I do this?' 'Are my arms too short?' etc. etc.
In the Astanga Primary Series this is the first arm balance which come after Navasana and to be honest you're pretty tired by the time you get there, usually an hour in. So it's especially humbling to work towards the strength and flexibility required for this pose. But we're encouraged to be patient and put in the practice. Letting go of ego and a time frame of being able to do the pose. As Kino MacGregor says in a brilliant tutorial, hope for later rather than sooner. That's good all round advice isn't it? Here's the link to her video.
I've been thinking about the concept of humility more broadly too, as again the Gita teaches it as the first step to 'true knowledge'.
As a yoga teacher I feel we can only teach from who we are and the yoga practice we do. This is especially important in how we respond when we find something challenging or difficult both on and off the mat.
I want to share a really good piece by Barrie Risman in Yoga Journal.
Barrie says, It’s the daily infusion of yoga into our lives, that gives us that thing that no training can provide, that makes teaching a natural extension of who we are.
It’s what you do on your mat when no one else is telling you what to do that you come into relationship with your body, your breath, your mind, that will be your greatest teacher.
Yoga is not simply a path of acquiring and consuming, though that is often the way it is presented in a mainstream yoga culture. It’s a path of becoming, imbibing, and ultimately, of being'.
So, falling out of Bhujapidasana is par for the course. Humbling, as well as increasing our strength, resilience and flexibility.
Falling on our bum and getting up and having another go is no bad life lesson either.
Namaste
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