It dawned on me tonight while lowering through a plank (pushup) that I COULD ACTUALLY slowly lower down correctly. This was cause for a small celebration (in my mind) because when I began my yoga teacher training on June 18 I COULD NOT lower through a plank slowly. I simply dropped to the floor quickly because my arm strength was pretty pathetic. I remember feeling a little discouraged at the time, recognizing the effects of not having practiced yoga for several months and seeing my body lacking in strength it once had. And so I modified appropriately by lowering my knees for each plank pushup. I don't know at what point I stopped lowering my knees, but somewhere along the course of this summer in the conglomeration of teaching, personal practice, and class attendance, my arms mustered up enough strength to lower me down through a regular plank. And tonight as I strongly lowered through a plank (or two, or three, or four ... I think I did 24 unmodified planks today) I realized that a transformation had unknowingly taken place in my biceps (awh yeah!). Consistent practice has some pretty thrilling results.
Similarly, a few weeks ago my nephew Caleb had an interest in learning how to do a headstand. He was having trouble getting up (his core strength needed a little work), so I taught him how to do a yoga handstand using the corner of the wall.
From there he tried on his own, surrounded by lots of pillows for support.
He took the headstand home and practiced over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. A week(ish) later he came back to me having improved his headstand, being able to sustain it for a couple of seconds.
He continued to practice working into his headstand and sustaining it over the next week or so, showing me his latest improvement every time I saw him. And tonight in our kids' yoga class he moved himself into his headstand and sustained it longer than I've ever seen him do before. His core is being strengthened through regular practice. His balance is also improving. What was unattainable to him just several weeks ago is now a pose that comes with great ease.
What often seems far off or even impossible in our yoga practice is actually often not far off. The power of a regular yoga practice is that through a sustained and consistent practice changes come about at all levels of our being (physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.). So if at first you don't succeed, don't sweat it. Just keep at it, and your success will unfold before you.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
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