Less is More

My practice has changed considerably in the past few months. I have managed to consistently, as Peter Sanson noted in a workshop at YiY in October,  “complete the circuit” in poses that I could not previously catch my fingers to bind. I have found new movement and awareness in my spine, hips, shoulders, etc. The change feels amazing.

Still, lifting up to jump back and jumping through skills have yet to be acquired. Furthermore, I still encounter a restrictive uncertainty in dropping back on my own – and cannot come back up when I am successful in dropping back on my own.  And while I am capable of keeping up with the Led class, I take much longer in my day-to-day practice. Too long.

I sometimes think that my slow pace prohibits me from getting new poses added on. Yet, I know that is no reason to change my practice. I have spent a lifetime pushing, trying to keep up with other’s timelines (rather than my own), and basically trying to prove that I am “good enough.” This pattern/tendency has been one which I have been trying to break free of. Whenever I catch myself longing for the go ahead to start Second Series, I call upon my memory of Peter Sanson telling us to “Be present” and not always be in a hurry for the next posture. It appeases me… to a certain extent but never completely.

Then, this past weekend, I practiced behind a young gentleman who seemed to be getting a considerable amount of second series poses at once. At first I marveled — and wished that I was getting a few of them too.  But as I noticed he was getting one after another after another, I began wondering what the rush was to give this yogi so many new poses at once.

Obviously, I don’t have a complete picture. Perhaps this yogi already had these poses but, after a long absence from second series was having to relearn them. Only he and the teacher know the complete story. There is likely a valid reason, and who am I to pass judgement; I witnessed several other practitioners, at this same studio, leaving after completing small segments of varying lengths from the primary series.

Bringing my attention back to my practice, which is where it should have been all along, I counted my blessings. Perhaps, I considered, less is more. (Less poses, that is — with more mastery before being allowed to move on.) Either way I am more appreciative that my teacher(s) don’t hand out the postures with such freedom.  I want to earn them, one by one – when I am truly ready.