This was my intention for my class a couple of weeks ago. I really try to incorporate intentions in my classes that are applicable both on and off the mat. This quote utterly represents the fine line that I currently walk upon...that I'm in a position to indulge my inner vagabond, to assuage my yearning for travel and iconic young-stupid-"in her 20's" experiences. While at the same time I am a creature of habit that eventually wants roots, stability, and a lovely house with a fabulous kitchen, walk-in closet, and a golden retriever.
I have been lucky enough in my life as yet to have traveled quite a bit and experienced some amazing things. I studied abroad in Spain, went on a Mediterranean archeological cruise through National Geographic, lived in the woods of Idaho for a month for college credit, moved to Colorado to be a ski bum/yoga teacher... to name a few. Before pretty much every amazing experience I get violently nauseous and have a dance party of butterflies going on in my belly. Once arriving and settling in, my love of art museums, foreign languages, nature, wandering unfamiliar streets without a map, people watching, European cafes, etc takes over and the nervousness subsides. (Vast amounts of ginger ale doesn't hurt the situation, either.) Point blank, I get nervous before going into situations that I can't control or know what to expect. My dad once told me, "Lizzy, you don't have to control the situation. Just know that you can handle anything."
These words registered with me. Since then, I have still experienced anxiety that precedes going into a new situation that I am unsure about. However, I know to persist through it. For I know I can handle almost anything. And I know that some of the greatest things I have ever done have been nerve-wracking and anxiety-causing beforehand. These experiences have become defining moments in my life. They've made me exactly who I am today.
This is a great thing to remember on the mat as well. It is easy, especially as one becomes a more advanced practitioner, to become complacent in your practice. To know your strengths and weaknesses, your "best" poses, the modifications you make in certain poses. To allow one vinyasa, one forward fold, one headstand, to be just like any other. However, we really need to strive to maintain curiosity in our practice. Remember when you were new on your mat? When every pose was a brand new physical pretzel-like contortion that elicited an array of physical sensations that left you feeling elated? Why should we let that go? Let's maintain that newbie mindset every time we set foot on our mat. I've done probably thousands of vinyasas in my 5+ years of practicing. (Hello...I'm an arm balance and vinyasa junkie!) So it definitely takes effort to stay present in every vinyasa that I do now. It takes effort to go to a clinic or another class, and allow the teacher to open my eyes to a new alignment or variation of a pose, and not just do the triangle pose I know and love, to not automatically flow through the vinyasa I know and love. As a teacher, I see this battle in my students. We'll work on crow pose (for example) in my classes. I'll have some students look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them it's their turn to try it. I tell them to simply try it, to simply try lifting one foot off the ground first, and maybe both. The look of wonder, of accomplishment, on some students' faces after accomplishing something they never thought they could have done is one of the most amazing things to feel as a teacher. I also strive to keep advanced practitioners on their toes. For those that the classic/traditional vinyasa (uttanasana-->plank-->chaturanga-->upward dog-->downward dog) is automatic, I like to throw in an extra chaturanga or to hold a chaturanga for an extra breath. The first time I do this, they are often already in upward dog. It is a good reminder to not let it become automatic, to remember that you really don't know where the teacher is going to take you next.
In conclusion, the majority of our "comfort zone" is mental. We place these limitations upon ourselves. Telling ourselves what is normal, what we can or cannot do, what we should or should not do. I am in no way saying to not honor any injuries or to be unsafe. I love having a home base, a secure job, a safety net and confidential journal in the form of my family and friends. If I tweak my bad shoulder, I back off from chaturangas. But don't not try something simply because it is new and foreign and scary. Have faith and courage in yourself and your capabilities! Lift both feet off the mat and fly high! And maybe place a bolster in front of you, just in case.
