Failure — Yoga F-ing Sucks #3
I was at my parent’s house and I forgot the yoga blocks that I use to support myself
I failed to sit cross-legged over the holiday break. I was at my parent’s house and I forgot the yoga blocks that I use to support myself.
Although, when I was praying in my parent’s prayer room, I sat cross-legged for a couple of minutes on a wooden seat my dad made years ago. Perhaps I could’ve sat longer but that seat was still incredibly uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the deep stretch I desired. The yoga blocks help with opening up the hips, strengthening the glutes and hamstrings to support the lotus position. I’m still maybe a year away from sitting unassisted, but I’ll slowly chip away at it like a patient sculptor.
When I returned to my place, I started sitting again; my body was more stiff than normal. Not to mention the build up of fat stores from the winter and holiday binge eating.
Let’s face it, we’ve all been there.
“Play time was over, it was time to get back to work”, when I said that to myself, something didn’t feel right.
I wasn’t mad at myself for not keeping up my sitting goal. I didn’t even feel like I failed despite the goal being very important to me; empathy and compassion for one’s self? I suppose yoga is already starting to work?
Like a spiritual Google, I found a verse in The Bhagavad Gita that further grounded me (no pun intended), Chapter 18, verse 26.
मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित: |
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते
mukta-saṅgo ‘nahaṁ-vādī dhṛity-utsāha-samanvitaḥ
siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika uchyateThe performer is said to be in the mode of goodness, when he or she is free from egotism and attachment, endowed with enthusiasm and determination, and equipoised in success and failure.
Worldly attachments through the outcome of actions will not feed the mind, heart, and soul. The action itself is the reward. Whether I succeed or fail, it’s not important. The will and determination to perform actions in good conscience is the desired outcome.. at least my interpretation.
Play through self-compassion is the best type of “work”.
Word count: 342 (including Gita quote)
Total time spent writing/editing: approx. 2 hours
Total time sitting cross legged on yoga blocks while writing/editing this post: 8 mins
Twitter: @bhavprajapati
