progress

yoga seeds #10 – Zigzags and spirals

| María Ferrara

Sometimes we reach a certain point with an asana that feels very clearly like something’s clicked, like a change of paradigm. “I got it!” It could be that we’ve developed strength enough to support the position, or flexibility enough to do a bind, or balance enough to stay there. It could also be that we’ve been able to let the breath flow, or relax the muscles that were not required, or be present in our whole bodies. It could be that we’ve discovered how our relationship with the asana is mirroring some aspect of our life off the mat. It could also be that we’ve surrendered to the limitation and been able to joyfully inhabit what we can do. Whichever way, it is possible that, after “getting it”… suddenly we lose it again. Everything changes and transforms constantly, that is the nature of existence. Oscillations and cycles are also transformations and, even if they seem like a backward movement, they’re not. There is actually, never, a going back. Think of night and day. Every day is a new day and not a return to the previous one. Even if we can’t do today what we did yesterday, it’s all moving forwards, zigzagging or spiralling, but always forwards.

Thanks to all my students at Yoga Hub Berlin, who inspire me with their practice.

yoga seeds #7 – Progress

| María Ferrara

Progress is forward movement towards a destination. So it really depends on what we’re oriented towards. As we begin to practise, most of us measure our progress in terms of space (bringing my head lower, stretching my legs straighter). This progress will sooner or later come to a halt, either because of anatomical limitations or because we’ve reached the maximum possible, but there are many other possibilities! It could be measured in terms of time (staying longer in an asana or practising for a certain amount of time). It could be measured in terms of the number and variety of asanas that we practise. It could be measured in terms of the regularity with which we practise. It could be measured in terms of how present we are while we practise – or how aware we are of how not present we are while we practise! It could be measured in terms of how long I’ve been practising in spite of interruptions, losing the thread or injuries. Practising itself is progress. Every day we practise, we progress, it’s unavoidable. Gradually, the practice reveals aspects of itself that we could never have aimed towards, because we couldn’t have even envisaged them. Progress could also be following our path in yoga, whatever it is, whichever shape it takes, and yielding completely to its course into unknown parts of our nature.

Thanks to all my students at Yoga Hub Berlin, who inspire me with their practice.