When I say I do yoga (and doubly so when I say I’m a yoga teacher), people think they know a whole lot of other stuff about me. You really think I’m never stressed, angry, sad or impatient? Let’s do some myth busting!
Always calm
Hahahahahahahahha! Let me explain how I came to yoga. My mum bought me a block of summer classes because she said I was so stressed that I needed to do something about it before I was ill. When I talk about stress and anxiety, I’m teaching from direct experience. I hope that makes what I teach authentic.
Happy. All. The. Time.
We are all beautifully imperfect human beings experiencing the full rainbow of emotions. Did you see what I did there? You need sun and rain to make a rainbow. Everyone experiences dark days, sunny days and all the times in between. I am no exception.
Flexible
Actually, you got me there. I am fairly flexible. Not contortionist, circus-worthy flexible, but mobile in a (mostly) functional way. But you don’t need to be flexible to do yoga. Please don’t make this a reason that you don’t give yoga a try. You don’t need to be able to touch your toes (there’s even a blog about that). You need enough mobility to be able to get your socks on. And off. Yoga can help you there.
Strong
I don’t hear this one as much as being flexible. It comes from the rise of demanding styles like Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga and the slew of Instagram photos of crazy postures. Like flexibility, you need functional strength to keep you stable and balanced in relation to gravity. Some days this is easy for me. Some days it’s all the wobbles. If you’ve been put off by a strong style of yoga, try something totally different like Wellbeing Yoga. You could be surprised.
Vegan or at least vegetarian
I’m not. I eat dairy and meat. There’s a principle in yoga called ‘ahimsa’ which means not being violent. I like to think of it as kindness and related to a practise of gratitude. It’s something that I have really taken to heart (I feel another blog coming on). So, I am seriously interested in how the meat I eat has been raised, how the land that’s grown my food has been treated and the welfare of the people as well as the animals involved in the process.
Teetotal
Ouch. No. I like an occasional tipple. Not before or during yoga, obviously.
A thin, white female under 30
Hum. I’m generally human-shaped with all the usual lumps and bumps. After a week working full time at an office job, I’m sometimes a bit more chair-shaped than I’d like to be. I’m definitely over 30. Way, way, way over 30. But I don’t think about it that much. Instagram and youtube have a lot to answer for on this one. It’s a big reason why people don’t even ask about yoga classes. They feel like they won’t fit in. And that makes me sad.
Sure what to say in every challenging and emotional situation
Not even slightly. I have said or written ‘there are no words’ so many times in my life. We all do our best, say it with love and then hope. Or just hug when we can.
Hindu, Buddhist or very deep and spiritual
Nope. I am not Hindu nor am I Buddhist. I am interested in the questions about what’s my purpose, what is life about and how do I make best use of my limited time on this planet. Sometimes I’m serious and ponder deeply, as I’m sure a lot of other people do too. I’m not here to advise you. I’m seriously under qualified for that. Ram Dass said ‘we’re all just walking each other home’. I like that idea. I hope it guides how I treat other people. But I am also someone who sniggers every time I drive by the sign for the village of ‘Willey’. Yes. Every single time.
"we’re all just walking each other home"
Ram Dass
Like you, and everyone else, I am a beautifully imperfect work in progress. It’s okay to feel how you feel (that’s pinned on my fridge) and to be an ever-evolving being that grows, develops and sometimes regresses.
See you on the mat!
(Even if it’s only for a quick snooze.)
I absolutely love your post..how come I've never seen this before? I wish you'd post more..or I haven't searched enough.