Just One of Those Days...

Last Sunday I went to my weekly yoga class at Tula Yoga, with my favorite teacher, David. David is the best instructor I've ever had, and I learn something new every class... Except for last week.

I went into class feeling tired, with a full stomach and zero energy. After falling limp in my first attempted chaturanga, I knew I was in trouble. My arms felt weak. My hamstring muscles were tight. My nose was runny. My stomach was uncomfortable. My head started hurting. The sweat dripping off the end of my nose was distracting. The yogis around me were all rocking it. My mind was going a thousand different directions, concentrating on anything other than my practice. When I tried difficult poses, my body did not cooperate whatsoever. I felt inadequate, insecure, and self-conscious.

With each pose, I got angrier at myself. Why can't I do this? All I wanted to do was rest in child's pose, but I refused to let myself. I was afraid other people would think I was weak and "bad" at yoga if I took breaks.

After class, I left feeling angry, exhausted and extremely bitchy. I had never had a worse class. I knew it had nothing to do with David's teaching. The problem was within me. I brought my baggage into class with me, allowing my negativity to breed when something didn't go right. By the end, I was a giant ball of negativity and frustration.

I'm not writing this blog to linger on anything negative.... I'm writing it to let you know that even yoga instructors - even people who have been practicing for a long time - have their days when yoga is miserable. Sometimes I'm able to use my yoga practice to get out of a bad mood, sometimes I can't. Last week I certainly didn't manage it. But I did come away from that practice with the intention to not take myself so seriously. I vowed that the next time I feel that low in energy, I would allow myself to rest in child's pose as much as I need to, not worrying about what anyone else thinks. It's what I teach my students all the time! It's all about self-acceptance, no matter where you are or how you feel.

So the next time you have a bad experience with yoga (it WILL happen inevitably), take away a new intention for the next time. Evaluate what was happening in your mind to make you feel negative, and vow to change it in your next class. There's bound to be a difference.

So I guess maybe I did learn something new after all...