Everything I need to know I learned in yoga
I have been practicing yoga since 2005. First from books then from a teacher from Japan, then a teacher in Manila then teachers in India, some more teachers in Bali, and back to my teacher in Manila. Although I don’t get to practice everyday and I admit that there are days when yoga is the last thing I want to do, there are so many things in life that I have learned through yoga practice. Here are some of them:
And I will always love yoga and India. (Photo by Faye V. Ferrer, Dec. 2008)
#1 Practice doesn’t make perfect. Because there’s no such thing as perfect. You may get perfect scores in Math and Sciences but not in real life. Perfection is based on your perception and to aim for perfection means to change your perception to see only perfection.
#2 Sometimes when you’ve done all that you can, there is nothing more to do but let go. When you’ve been aiming for that Marichiyasana A to D and your arms just won’t bind, you just have to let go and accept that where you are in your current pose is where you should be. And then you let go and let things happen (or not happen).
#3 Letting go doesn’t mean not caring. Letting go is accompanied by trust. Trust me: It took me years to do my headstand and it’s still not perfect – according to my perception. One day, I just told myself, hey I am going up there and I am doing this pose. That was when it happened. Because I trusted that I can do it. And I trusted the process.
#4 Controlling things doesn’t always make things right. Again, let go and trust.
#5 While practicing with a group is fun, there are days when you just have to go solo. Because this is when you get to know you and the many things you can do on your own. Until the time you’re ready to be with someone or with a group again.
#6 Music makes you dance. So choose the music of your life wisely.
#7 There’s no point competing with others. As the adage says, always there will be someone better or lesser than you.
#8 Too much of everything is never ever good. Practice often but only up to the point when it’s still making you happy.
#9 When you tune in to your heart, you tune in to your body and you tune in to your life. Heart is always at the center of it all.
#10 Balance is always good. You can’t be too happy all the time or too sad all the time. A mix of all emotions is best.
#11 Everything must come to an end. No matter how good the practice is, it must come to an end. But that doesn’t mean you just forget about it. We all know it: good memories linger.