Just Different

Ashtangis are often told to refrain from judging their practice. It is neither good OR bad; it just is. So today, when my son asked me how my yoga practice was, I told him that it was different.

Quite naturally, he asked me to elaborate. How was it different? Was it fun? Did you feel good or do something exceptionally well? The answer was yes AND no. Like any day, there were times when I felt good…but times when I didn’t. There were parts that were fun and other parts that were downright hard.

Still…
It was different.

I smiled with surprise as I felt my leg going farther behind my head then I expected, laughed at myself when my landing in Bakasana B fell short, ahhh’d as I emerged from Marichyasana D, and felt a sense of pride as I landed in Urdvha Dhanurasana after dropping back to the floor (instead of my usual 5 foam pads). I didn’t get disappointed with myself when I could not seem by get my second leg behind my head in Dwi Pada Sirsasana, or judge my miscalculated jump to Bakasana. I wasn’t ashamed that I continued the latest trend of falling on my face in Pincha Mayurasana. And I didn’t care one way or the other that I wasn’t able to return to standing when I dropped back to the floor.

Yes…
It was different.