Grasshopper, Abhyasa, And A Leap Towards The Positive: Yoga with Sara at the Maui Yoga Shala: Wailea, Hi: November 16, 2017

Grasshopper Pose. I didn't look quite as fancy as this. After class I tried to show David because I was so excited about the pose. I crashed into the kitchen floor. It appears I need to be more warmed up when attempting Grasshopper.

I’ve never been one for fancy schmancy poses. Partly because it left me open to failure, you know, just in case. The advanced poses are difficult because they require mad skills like flexibility, strength, balance, ease, and determination. It takes a massive amount of practice.

These are all values I endeavor to cultivate. When we set ourselves up for success, we are successful, and when we set ourselves up for failure, we fail, no matter how veiled our own threats to success are. Part of me smirked at yogis with advanced pose practices because I felt they were being materialistic, not understanding the depths of yoga. Just lately I’d begun to admit to myself what really lurks in the wings of strong poses: sheer jealousy with a dash of laziness, low self esteem, and fear all rolled in for good measure.

I’ve been enjoying stronger practices lately and some awesome teachers have been placed in my path. Sara offered grasshopper this week and at first attempt the usual mental rigamarole fired, but after two more attempts, this morning I hit the pose.

A change in one’s body requires practice, and likewise, and even more difficult, is a change of heart. The word for posture in sanscrit is “asana”, and another translation is “attitude”. The yoga sutras say that true transformation is a combination of effort and ease, and of practice and surrender.  I’ve glossed over the concept of practice because I thought I knew what it meant. These stronger poses shed light that in my actual practice, I have a very limited understanding of the yogic sense practice.

After class today I went back to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras to learn more about abhyasa. 

1.12 - the thought patterns are mastered through practice and surrender. abyhasa vairagyabyam tat nirodhah

1.13  - practice (abyhasa) means choosing and cultivating the actions that lead to a positive state. tatra sthitau yatnah abhyasa

1.14 – practice done for a long time, with consistency, establishes the foundation. sah tu dirgha kala nairantaira satkara asevitah dridha bhumih

Like grasshopper pose, my book is starting to happen for real. The practice is to stay in the positive and not give way to the fear that the book will bomb and I’ll lose all my friends.

With a practice of abhyasa my fears seem so silly, grasshopper pose so fun, and my book, an absolute path towards a courageous heart.

Namaste