Do you notice when you read a particular quote you feel better / empowered / as though you are doing the right thing? I do, and the following struck all those chords in me this morning:

“Yoga is the ability to do something tomorrow that we could not do today, to make the impossible.. possible.” TKV Desikachar

I taught my regular Friday class yesterday morning at Sage Yoga in Bonsall. (17 in the room — be still my heart!) I asked them to set aside their aspirations for the ‘big’ pose and work on strengthening / stretching the areas needed to work into inversions. I focused these efforts towards Pincha Mayurasana (peacock pose) and Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand). I also prefaced this work with a forewarning that we would not be attempting the poses.

This would include efforts to move towards the pose, not do the pose (at least not that morning).

After the Friday class, I went on to teach the Chair Class I’ve recently started at the Fallbrook Regional Health District Wellness Center.

In both classes, I heard comments that speak to the quote:

1. First, “my shoulders will benefit from this work”.

2. Second, “look, I couldn’t get my forearms together (in front of my chest) until now”.

Some would hope for BIG accomplishments and I’d be lying if I said I don’t have those same hopes. However, I have a great sense of accomplishment when students attending my classes feel the work, appreciate the potential benefit(s), and tell me when they notice a shift.

Why? It tells me that they are aware of their bodies. Not so worried about accomplishing a BIG pose, and appreciative of the benefits of the work — big or not-so-big.

Until next time . . .