Ha! You thought that I was going to say "Family", "Work", "Everyday Chores", didn't you? Well, yes, those things can get "in the way" of a regular yoga practice. A fellow mom was recently lamenting to me that she wanted to start a regular yoga practice, but it was hard with kids always in tow. She made a commitment to herself that she would just pick a class she liked, hire a sitter, and go for it. Good for her! Lots of studio classes are held mid-morning, making it hard for the working person to make it to the mat - and you have to be pretty committed to get your butt out of bed for a 6am yoga practice before work!
Yes, life does get in the way, but so can your body parts! Body parts like Boobs (if you have them), thighs, bellies, and (dare I say it?) chins. On Monday, I was on the mat with Betsy leading us (Betsy is the director of the yoga teacher training program I will be starting in September), and she guided us into cow-face pose (Gomukhasana). It's a nice hip-opener, but if you have larger than average thighs (not passing judgement! It could be from anything: genetics, running, excessive ellipticalling, being overweight), it can be a challenge to get your right thigh over your left to stack your knees. We did our best. Next, Betsy asked us to open the hips further by leaning forward, and she joked "I've heard that boobs can get in the way, so if you can't go too far forward, it's okay!" Ha ha ha, the class chuckled along. When an anonymous yogi in the back of the class posed, "I've heard that about bellies, too..." there was more laughter. Little did they know that this is a serious matter for some of us.
Well, it's not life-and-death serious, but it can lead a yogi to feel like his/her progress is being hindered in a posture or worse, lead to feelings of insecurity. It doesn't help being in a yoga class when the 98 pound teenager on the mat in front of you can pretzel her way into every posture with ease. Part of the solution is sensitivity on the part of the instructor. Betsy's joke was perfect - letting us know that it's okay if things get in the way, and subtly saying "you're not the only one". It's the instructor's job to make you feel confident while teaching proper form, and if necessary, offering modifications for the posture that suit YOUR practice. What this means is there are "loopholes" for certain postures. There is more than one way to stretch that hip, and if something gets in the way, we'll just wiggle around until something's not in the way! There are plenty of yoga classes for pregnant women, and while the class is designed for gentle stretches for those more limber than usual ligaments, a big part of the practice is getting around that belly. Some of these same postures could work for someone who otherwise has a larger than normal midsection.
Boobs are a little harder, mainly when it comes to inversions. Take it from me, going into supported bridge and shoulderstand are no fun when the girls are in the way, making it difficult to take those all-important breaths in. I always feel a bit ridiculous when I'm in shoulderstand, knowing that I really could make my spine straighter if I could only breathe easier! Luckily, props can help out here, as I recently found out in an Iyengar class! Using something as simple as a folded blanket under the shoulders can open up an inch or two at the front of your neck, and that's really all that was needed! Props are not solely for beginners - I was beginning to see that they really can help to get you deeper into a posture that you have been struggling with.
Life gets in the way, body parts get in the way, during home practice, my KIDS get in the way. Part of yoga is having patience to deal with all of these things, but having a sense of humor about it helps, too. Know that you're not the only one struggling with life, body, or kids, and a prop or two (and a babysitter!) can help get you where you're going.
Build positivity in your practice: All events will flow towards a beautiful resolution.
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