Yesterday I was at yoga and it was one of those days where there was only 3 of us in class. I love those days because you tend to get more out of the class from who ever is instructing.
One of the women in the class with me was an older woman; incredibly thin and not so strong looking - yet someone not exactly new to yoga. As we were doing inversions in the class (handstands) she was insistent that she couldn't do it; so fearful that she would fall - even though she was against the wall - that she completely blocked her mind to the idea of even trying.
I was next to her, and she was saying "I can't do this" in a tone that I knew just meant "I'm afraid to do this, I don't have the confidence to do this". I couldn't help but say to her "you can do this. It's scary at first - it's all about trusting yourself. The worst that will happen is you'll hit the wall hard...but you won't get hurt. Trust yourself to take a chance." She shook her head and said, "alright...". And you know what -- she did it. It wasn't the right formation, and she didn't stay up for but a second - but she did it. Her frightened frustration, turned to a shy, but more confident smile.
Yoga is freedom.... if you practice, then you understand what I mean. It's the one time that you are doing something that is so good for you, physically and psychologically; it affords you the opportunity to have the mindset of trying anything - as if you were a child again. And if that isn't a form of freedom, then I don't know what else is.
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