Yoga Extra: Starting Over

“So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don’t sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we’ve satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.” ~~ Lee Iacocca

I just had to write this extra blog for the week, because today was a very challenging day for me. As many of you know, I teach a weekly Power Yoga class. For all you teachers out there, you know that TEACHING is very different from PRACTICING. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to do a complete Power Yoga practice of my own, due to the medical issues I’ve been dealing with. My practice as of late has been more of a Yin practice, as well as some breathing and meditation work. That is, when I actually have the energy to do anything at all. I’ve been trying to force myself to cycle or run three times a week, but I can’t remember the last time I had the energy to do more than two days in a given week. It’s been very frustrating.

Today, since I am working from home, I decided to use my lunch hour to do a 60-minute Power Yoga practice. I wanted to make sure to get in a good practice, since I am about to be in a car for at least 4 hours as we make our way to Atlanta for the Thanksgiving holiday.

All I can say is, “Holy Crap!” After the third Chaturanga, I knew I was in for quite the challenge. As I made my way to my fourth Chaturanga, I had to modify because my arms felt like jello. I can’t believe how weak I’ve become! And my balance? Forget it…it’s always been bad, but now it doesn’t even exist, apparently. My phone rang about 45 minutes in, and I gratefully took the call, my muscles shaking all the while.

As I sit here and think about it, I could do one of two things: 1) Get really angry, or 2) Deal with where I am at and start anew. I am choosing to go with option #2. If I choose option #1 (the anger route), what’s that gonna get me? Nothing but more anger, and more than likely, I will completely give up and resort to the old, couch potato version of myself from years ago. Uh-uh! Ain’t gonna happen!

So, I am going to take my lumps like a big girl and start over. Accept where my body is right now, and modify as I need to so that I can build my practice back to where it used to be before I started having all these medical issues. I can choose to take this as a blow to my ego or as an opportunity to grow. I choose the latter.

So here is to the start of starting over, so to speak. If you know me at all, then you know that I am very stubborn and I hate to give up on something. SO…I will get on my mat EVERY SINGLE DAY, even if it’s just for a few rounds of Sun Salutations. I vow to myself to spend at least 30 minutes per day on my mat. It’s the least I can do for my body, my mind, and my spirit.

As the Little Engine once said, “I think, I think I can, I think I can…I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could…”

Namaste,

Melanie