Practice makes Possible

What is it that we are looking to achieve when we practice yoga? What is our intention? Do we have an “end” goal or maybe multiple “end” goals we are working toward? What are we doing here? And when will the hard stuff be easy?

In class this week we shift our focus onto the power of practice as the way to connect the means to the ends, making our goals and our intentions more and more possible. The yoga class setting is a great example of this concept because we already know it as a practice. We go to class to do just that. This gives us a frame of reference to connect to regarding how we do things. We can relate to what we do in that space and environment to how our capabilities grow through our bodies in different exercises and poses we do in class. It’s all practice.

What does that mean then? If we are always practicing, when will the practice get us to where we want to be… maybe where the practice isn’t needed anymore?

First we need to look at why we show up. Why we go to yoga in the first place gives us the idea of a goal or that something is being worked toward. Whatever it is, be it mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, a combination of or all of the above. These are the reasons for practicing. Maybe there was one thing that got us onto a mat initially and over time that thing changed into something else or more reasons for showing up continued to present themselves. But in the beginning there is always a reason. Maybe we think of it as a problem needing a solution, a question needing an answer, maybe the simple pursuit of joy and happiness. But the reason is the intention or a version of an end. We show up once, sporadically or over and over again to connect ourselves to the means.

Then, we need to go through the motions over and over again in order for what we are practicing to sink in and slowly change us. The more we practice the better we get at whatever it is that we’re doing. The more we put our bodies through the different exercises and poses, the more our body parts respond positively to what was less attainable before. It for sure takes time, but by practicing, we get better at all the things we thought we were “bad” at before or just simply didn’t know how to do.

Attainability and possibility. Those are the two things I have found to be worth striving for and always gained through the years of practicing, teaching and practicing. The appeal of ideals and perfection are nice at first and can serve as wonderful inspiration and motivation but rarely draw us closer to who we are, where we are, and our true potential. It all goes back to the effort we put forth toward breaking through the barriers and perceived limitations. The effort we apply to be on the path that reminds us that we are more. And long as we walk the path and do the things, the things will come.

So what we want, whatever it is, even if it isn’t related to anything in the yoga class, asana or yoga practice - is about continuously exploring and experimenting with the means to the end. When we commit to that exploration and devote ourselves to the work we put into any and all goals or intentions, we cultivate and manifest the attainability and the possibilities. In a sense, we train for the very things we want to be a certain way- while keeping in mind that it takes time for anything to change and transform. Practice makes possible. Practice until possible. Practice sustains possibility.

A phrase has been going off in my mind the last few weeks, so much so that I woke up at 5:30am one morning with it loud in my head:

Everything is a muscle.

Of course, only muscles are actually muscles! But in my mind, the idea is that everything is and works similarly to muscles. They are inherently flexible. We can train them to be strong and more flexible. We also do things with our bodies that we don’t necessarily do with intention. So thinking in terms of muscles helps me remember that whatever we do is what we are practicing, whatever we have done the most has been practiced the most and is going to be the strongest known path. That means that certain things can end up feeling impossible or like they are definitely not for us. And that may actually be true in that moment based on where you are in that class or in that moment. We can feel it when we try to go to far in the opposite direction. It doesn’t really work out. And we can feel it when we fall out of practice. It feels like a setback. Whatever we know most will always dominate with more ease even after we have begun practicing a new way. Think of how long it takes for the tightnesses in our bodies to collect and harden. Think of how long it has been since practicing something that encourages strength and endurance. What other energetic muscles in our lives have we been flexing one way for so long that balance or change is inspiring us to do differently?

We have no choice but to honor our true capacity in order to reach our full potential. Until we have taught the part of us we are working on a new way for long enough for it to begin understanding that newness, we breathe and remember that it works even when it doesn’t feel like it. We remember why we are practicing and that the only way out is through. To get to the other side we have to keep going. We can retrain the muscles and teach them to work in different ways. We can do that with the way our minds work, the way perceive things, the way we connect and relate to things, and the way we know things to be true. Those are all “trainable”. Other ways of moving, thinking, doing, believing, seeing, and being are attainable and possible. If in the moment it doesn’t seem that way, it isn’t that that’s right- it is simply that it’s only right for right now. And the way toward anything else, toward more or different, is through practicing a new and different way. Training = practicing. It involves participating. And then the practice becomes this powerful and beautiful work you have employed yourself in, which becomes a constant reminder that you are always more than capable.

By showing up fully to our practices we honor where we are, who we are, our highest intentions, goals and wishes, our patience, devotion and our power to manifest.

The yoga practice reminds us that all things take time while also helping us remember that we are moving toward things that were ultimately always a part of us, even if it doesn’t feel that way or if we forgot to the point of not knowing how to attain it. No matter how many breaks or pauses exist between practices, what has been worked on becomes a part of us. Even if we forget. We are in a time and culture of super extreme resource in the palm of our hands! We barely have to think to answer questions, we can just google it! All of the ways and answers are out here, we simply need to take the steps and let them work. We practice as a commitment to ourselves and our commitment to ourselves is our practice. In the end they are one, no matter the smaller reasons or goals. We commit to ourselves through the ups, downs, changes, and lulls. We marry ourselves in mind-body + heart-soul and through that devotion unlock our full, infinite potential. Yes! I believe there is always a way and anything is possible. Learning yoga, kicking up to handstand, going up into urdvha dhanurasana, meditating, running, doing a pull up, getting better at climbing problems that aren’t our style of climb, gaining strength, being flexible, learning to move just one toe, or wink both eyes not just one, learning to play an instrument, becoming vegan, learning a new language, making better financial decisions, saying no to things that don’t make us happy, saying yes to things that do- the list goes on forever-.. but…

when we commit to practice our True Nature is revealed and we recognize more and more that all the things are possible.

So my question to you this week:

What feels impossible that you would like to make possible?

Let’s practice.