Yoga isn’t just about balance — it’s also about being truthful with yourself
Why you should stop pushing yourself to fit your preconceived notions of what “good yoga” looks like.
I was teaching a yoga class recently when I asked the students to move from a standing position to a seated position. As I moved myself to the floor, I lost my balance a little and dropped with a hard thump, leg cocked out at an odd angle.
“You don’t have to be graceful as you move,” I told the class as I laughed at myself. “But try to be mindful.”
There’s a concept in yoga philosophy called “Satya” or “truthfulness”. Satya is more than just what we usually think about as truthfulness. It also encourages us to speak, act, and think with integrity. It’s about seeing things as they actually are right now, not as we wish they were. It’s about seeing things as they actually are right now, not as we wish they were.
The truth is, I’m not particularly graceful. I say that not to insult myself, but to recognize the truth that we are all, at times, not particularly graceful. We have all had times where we lose our…
