Like many, I started off with just an intention to do some exercise, to sweat a little. As I move on, I begin to take yoga as a challenge, to see how far I can go... but 1 year into yoga, I realize alot of things. I did mistake like many others. Mistake as in not those physical mistake but mental mistakes.
Mental mistakes
To sweat it OUT
Especially when hot yoga becoming a trend, everyone's thinking is I go HOT yoga because I want to SWEAT, its a form of detox. Its not entirely wrong but hot yoga isn't just about sweating, its not trying to get the mat under the hot air ventilation grille and make yourself dehydrate like sunbathing salted fish. Firstly, excessive sweating isn't a good thing, it might cause dehydration instead of detox. Many people force sweat by going for hot yoga. But the amount of sweat basically depend on many factors, like metabolism, how much water you are drinking, diet habit, etc. If you don't have a habit of drinking water and yet you are squeezing sweat out, is it a good thing? To me, instead of going to the hottest spot, why not focus on the muscle engagement, the contraction of the muscle when you doing asana, that is a part of muscle building which more muscle boost up metabolism. Doing yoga in a hot does more than just make you feel hot, it actually improve your blood circulation and flexibility but too much of a good thing can be bad.
I can do it BETTER than you
Often we will start comparing ourselves with others, it happen in yoga as well. Some of them have the "I can do it better than you" mentality. Even me, at times I tend to compare, but gradually I begin to realize that its not about doing better than anyone, Its about improving myself. Its more than just comparing but to realize your weakness. Its not about you can do it so I can as well. For me, I have a tiff back and hips. My forward bending is improving well but my back bend is horrible. By doing yoga, I know my limitation, and I will always work towards my limit and further extend it. Instead of focusing on whether you can do it, why not focus on whether I do it nicely and do it correctly. Like the pose, triangle, it seem so easy, but the challenge of this beginner pose is to align and square your hips. Its sometime upsetting that many people are focusing on the fanciful poses rather than the fundamental pose like warriors, triangle, downward facing dog, cobra. For me, I just need to consciously remind myself to build my foundation well, without a good foundation, I can't move on to a advance pose. Form over ego. Its probably time to go back to basic, to learn the basic poses, to open out the tight areas, to work on my weakness, my flexibility.
Always do some reflection after each yoga session, recognize your improvement, address your weakness. To be humble, I believe its one of the most difficult thing to do. But I'll consciously remind myself, form over ego. Its not circus stunts, its yoga wellness. Probably this is what that is keeping my fire burning...
Namaste...
