When first embarking on your yoga journey, you were probably pushed outside of your confort zone the first few times you practiced, which is amazing! The more we push our boundaries, the more we grow and learn! That being said, when you were pushed, you most likely pushed back, finding ways to control your experience and feel less vulnerable.
They are many ways that students try to ‘control’ their practice from always attending the same class time, style of class or even or practicing with a specific teacher. No matter the way you tried to control your practice, it is important to remember that the practice of yoga is to let it change you. That it is a safe space, and feeling vulnerable is part of the process.
Many, many students continue to have ‘a spot’ in the room in which they always practice. These students come early, just to secure their spot and even walk away from practice if the class is full and their spot is taken. We have even seen extreme instances of this where students have actually asked another student to move because they were in the covenanted ‘spot’ (this is a big no, no, just in case you were wondering!)
Knowing you have a spot may make you feel safe. Maybe it is at the back of the room, where no one can see you, beside a post, so you feel secure, or in the front row, so you can see every posture on your body. No matter where you spot is, we strongly encourage you to give it up!
Here is your challenge, if you are one who has a spot, next time you come to class, practice as far away from that spot as you can! See how impactful this can be on your practice, and see if the openness to change starts to trickle into your every day life!
(Originally published July 25, 2018)