It's always an honor to share this space with you. You show up every day to practice and it really is an inspiration to me. I always feel better after a yoga practice, and you should, too. Regardless of what asanas you do (or not) on the mat shouldn't impact the way you feel about your practice.

We all need a lesson in being a little bit nicer to ourselves. We can't judge our success by our asana - you can succeed at yoga even if you mess up some of the poses!

Failing at a pose or two doesn't mean you are failing at yoga. The real success of the practice comes from the balance you find within yourself when you let go of all the overhanging - and sometimes unrealistic - expectations we put on ourselves.

I am discussing the opposing forces in yoga, and two of these forces are in our asana practice. One force - sthira - is our strength, willpower, and determination. The second, sukha, is the ease and flow of the practice, the force that represents happiness and comfort.

Of course, you're probably asking yourself how can we be both? How can we be determined yet maintain a comfortable ease and flow in our yoga practice? We can't be too strict on ourselves, but we also can't be so lenient that we don't complete a single pose. Finding the balance in our yoga practice is the true success we should be working toward.

To find this balance, I invite you to once again try and find that state of stillness. But rather than chase the stillness of mind, ruminate on its opposite. Think of a tornado, spinning violently, destroying everything in its wake. Take this outward energy and focus it inward. Reverse the spin until it slows and eventually comes to a stop.

Calming the mind and stilling the storm is at the root of our yoga practice. Whether it's the poses, the breathing, or the meditation, each is working together to achieve a calm and peaceful state of mind. Sooner or later, after much practice, it will happen. The joy in yoga is the experiences we have along this path and through the journey of the storm.

If you have an inspiring story to share, please get in touch. Send an email at [email protected] and tell me - what does yoga mean to you? You could be invited to guest spot on The Yoga Inspiration Podcast.

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