Yoga would help with that. And that. And that. And that.

We’ve all been in that conversation:

• Your head hurts? Yoga will fix that!
• Unhappy? Yoga will fix that!
• Your back hurts? Yoga will fix that!
• Stressed? Yoga will fix that!

I really try not to be that yogi- the one that says yoga will fix anything that anyone could have issues with. I think that it can help a lot of people with a lot of things, I just realize that most people don’t want to hear it.

I have a friend who suffers from a very stressful job: back pain, stress migraines, sleeplessness, weight gain.  She has expressed interest in going to yoga with me but flakes at the last minute every time.  If she really wanted to come… she’d stop making excuses and come. It makes me so sad to hear about her latest health issue related to her stressful job. All I can think is that yoga would sure help with the issue. I don’t want to be that yogi that thinks yoga will fix anything for anyone. Bikram yoga has fixed a lot of things for me, but I also realize that everyone is different.

I can’t make her come. I can only be a positive influence and maybe if she sees how much a daily yoga practice has helped me with stress she’ll try it sometime! I just really think it would be so beneficial for her!!!!!! It’s so frustrating!

What are you working on?

In class this week a teacher came back after a few weeks away. Before starting she asked a student what he’d been working on. He didn’t have an answer. She shrugged it off and told us to SHOW her what we’ve been working on. During the floor series she asked another student what he’s been working on in fixed firm….. he couldn’t say what he was working on. Later, he had no response for rabbit.

I got her point: If you have a regular practice you should have things you’re working on. Tight hamstrings- you probably focusing on forward bends! Tight ankles- fixed firm is your posture. Obviously some days the goal is going to be survival- but some days you should be really thinking about postures and how to further your expression of them.

To show off a bit, I’m working a lot of shoulder flexibility and getting into my lower back on forward bends. I got corrections/compliments about those two things. I did SHOW her what I’ve been working on- or she’s psychic.

I’d even say that right now I know my goal in EVERY POSTURE. It may be the obvious goal in a posture or maybe something that’s less clear like getting my shoulders down in final stretching head to knee with stretching pose.

What are you working on?