10/20/08

Day 7: Do Not Fear

Pose #4: Garurasana - Eagle Pose

You know, every time I post a picture of a pose, I always look at it and say - "Wow, that sure does look like a piece of cake." If you are thinking the same thing too. Just try one of these poses and make it look just like the picture. Hurts don't it? If it doesn't challenge you at all, you are either not doing it right or you are a practicing yogi - for years.

So what thought struck me today during my meditation?

Fear. I have got to learn how to let go and work through/past my fears.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

While Eagle Pose is not one of the postures that bothers me, there are a couple that are a serious challenge to me. Today, when we got to posture #20 (Fixed Firm), the instructor came said to me, "Lisa, you CAN lay back in that pose - exhale, let go of the fear I see and go back. Now."
I was afraid. Afraid it would hurt, afraid that I wouldn't be able to get myself back up, afraid that I would pull or rip something. I was afraid, but with the instructors encouragement and the realization that I will never get better & stronger unless I breakthrough - I exhaled, released my fear, relaxed and layed back. Now you are supposed to hold for 30 seconds - I gave em about 15 and then came back up. BREAKTHROUGH. I did the thing that I thought I could not do.
Fear and success can not reside in the same body... success can not be acheived if you are harboring fear in your mind. Exhale and let go of the fear.

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