You could say that my Uncle Jeff brings out my competitive side. I have many fond memories of shooting bows-and-arrows, partaking in fishing contests — even a rowboat Regatta! On a Thanksgiving trip to Mexico last year, we had a wake-board competition – each person straddling the board as if she or he were riding a bucking bronco (no hands allowed), and the one who stays on the longest in the winner.
Even though I thought my yoga and horseback riding skills would give me the edge, I was humbly thrown off my board after several minutes into the fight. I remember as my head and body were submerged under the water and me left thinking… “If I could just stay under here then I would never have to admit my defeat…” After holding my breath for as long as possible (again, thank you Yoga!), I finally resurfaced and had a good laugh with my family. Luckily, there was nothing really to “win” or “lose”; it was all in good fun. And then, the next thing that came out of my Uncle Jeff’s mouth was, “Headstand competition?!” As much as I wanted to accept the challenge and prep myself for an upside-down circus with my family as the spectators, I started to feel something in my gut that didn’t quite allow me to take the inversion… and now looking back almost a year later, I realize just why I never did accepted the challenge.
I’m an ERYT-500 Yoga Teacher Training Facilitator, and yes I can probably hold Headstand for a good 10 minutes straight, among a myriad of other contortionist-appearing movements that I have learned to do with my body over the years of practice. But I admit, Gentle Yoga is my favorite class to take as well as to teach. And I’m so pleased that my regulars in this class on Friday afternoons range from brand-new yogis or people recovering from injury/illness, all the way to advanced yoga teachers who have been practicing for more than 30 years. I cannot help but wonder what it is that brings this array of levels to their mats for their weekly gentle practice?
When we stretch slowly into postures, being mindful of our personal alignment (which I must add is different for every human body) and practicing introspection (listening inward and embodying the practice), we are able to find a whole new experience of Yoga. This is not a competitive thing. It has nothing to do with catching a glimpse of your awesomeness in the mirror, prepping for your next yoga-selfie, or, even being the “best” in the room. Rather, gentle yoga is an opportunity to be with yourself, to listen carefully to your body, to make decisions about how you will adjust for optimal balance and strength, and to notice the subtle hints that come through our muscles, tissues, and even the breath. These hints can guide us to address and deal with our own struggles – whether those are expressed in the body, mind, emotions, or even the spirit. Gentle yoga is an opportunity for self-healing– one that can be incredibly empowering and rejuvenating.
When we know how to heal ourselves, and to place our own bodies in the most aligned way that supports our personal calibration and composition, then we can move off of our our mats and into life with a huge gift. We will be able to receive the signals that keep us from engaging in injurious behavior (like lifting with straight legs, twisting while bearing too much weight). In a stressful situation, we will more readily notice a subtle change in our breath and agitation in our mind and know our Gentle Yoga practice has given us the skills to respond to that with patience and kindness. And lastly, when the time comes to take that yoga-selfie, or enjoy a friendly headstand with a friend, we are more prepared to do it in a safe way. Which means that we can practice the challenging postures more often (if that is what we desire), and maybe we can hold them for longer, perhaps even advancing to the next stage of the pose. But even-so, if we also have a Gentle Yoga practice, then this experience of advancing our abilities in the so-called “difficult” postures will take on a whole new meaning, not to mention a higher level of safety.
And that is why, when someone asks me just why I practice yoga, I often respond, “To be honest, I don’t practice yoga to be able to twist myself into a pretzel shape. I practice because it makes the rest of my life better. When I am moving through the world, I have a connection with my body, mind, breath and spirit that serves me to live a full and safe life.”
And when someone asks me what type of yoga they should try, I might suggest Gentle, no matter what their level. Because I truly believe that sometimes, perhaps more often than not, Slower is Faster.
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Gentle Yoga is offered every Friday afternoon from 3 – 4:15pm
This is perfect Krista! Thank you so much for sharing! I literally feel the exact same way (about it being my favorite to teach and take). I have a “yoga” class I teach twice a week and generally we do yang, so for the second time last night I introduced Yin and it was like a breath of fresh air for many. This came at the perfect time.
Much love and light to you and the whole crew!