Photo by: lululemon athletica / CC BY-NC-SA
We were made to do arm balances in class the other day and, well, I was up and flying for a fraction of a second and, bam, I was barely able to keep my chin from hitting the floor. Of course, I was frustrated. I’d been practicing the crane pose at home for quite some time in the past and was able to stay up for five breaths. It’s true what they say: If you don’t use it, you lose it. And since I have been neglecting my home practice, it wasn’t surprising at all when I *almost* fell face down on the floor.
Now, I am NOT and will never be a paragon of patience. Everyone who knows me well can attest to this. I want things done now and done right. This attitude can be viewed as a plus in the corporate world but detrimental to one’s mental health. Relationships could also get unnecessarily cumbersome and exhausting because of (my) impatience.
If there’s one thing I need to learn, it’s to be gentle on myself and with others. Breathe when waiting my turn at the ATM. Let all the elevator passengers out before I enter (One of my colleagues is so anal about this and thinks it’s rude of me not to wait. I’m starting to get swayed toward agreeing with him instead of thinking people are too slow when getting out, haha!).
Arm balances require a strong core, open shoulders, a flexible spine and tons of patience. All of which I will have one day.
The Practice: A Yoga Blog 