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One of my favorite things I've recently cherished


       I used to believe if someone did a "pretty" pose and it was super advanced, then I would be fit and healthy. Wrong. Yoga is so much more than just being able to look instagram worthy and attaining a flat stomach. 
       Yoga is a process of confronting your own limitations being able to challenge and overcome them. I have never had upper body strength, core strength, or even great balance. I practiced and practiced Vrksasana (tree pose) until I got it right. I learned how to allow myself to trust myself. This was HUGE for me. By learning this, I can stand anywhere, away from a wall and balance because I learned to allow. Also, I perfected my ardha chandrasana (half moon) asana on my right side. I am still practicing it on my left side because I'm not as strong on my left. I don't have to use any assistance because I practiced so much. I learned from that asana that certain things take time. Focus in the moment and be present. That message resonated so much with me. I am always thinking super fast, running around super fast, and trying to practice fast. I learned to slow down and take things one at a time. 
       Now, I'm currently practicing my chakrasana (wheel pose), headstand, handstead, and utplutih (lifting up). All of these poses challenge me to use core and upper body strength. My goal is to eventually advance as much as I can in all the yoga poses. There are so many lessons to learn from pushing yourself. One of the biggest is becoming aware of how I limit my life. If I push my limitations in yoga and learn how to advance in an asana, then that will reflect in other areas of my life. 
      An important thing to remember is just because you may know how to do a difficult posture doesn't mean you know how to do yoga. As Joel Kramer stated, "the essence of yoga is not attainments, but how awarely you work with your limits. The important thing is not how far you get in any given pose, but how you approach the yogic process" (Kramer 1980). Your mindset going into yoga should be open and fearless. I absolutely love championing anyone who invests in their yoga practice because they will learn so much about themselves. Growing spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally is extremely important in this lifetime and the next.

www.gobodhiyoga.com

Gracen Kahn Pernia © 2020 All Rights Reserved.

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