Enjoy your yoga now, or develop for later?

Have you noticed the paradox in yoga practice?

A) Be present
On the one hand, we are invited to be fully present. To pay full and vibrant attention to every aspect of the moment that we are in. Notice and experience each breath as it happens, the sensations in the body, the feeling of each posture, the placement of the feet, the thoughts going on around all of this. Not thinking ahead to where we are going.
 
This helps us feel more alive in the rest of our day as we stay grounded in what is actually happening, rather than leaping ahead to all the other things coming our way. 

B) Improve and change
On the other hand, we are working on ourselves. Hoping and aiming to make improvements and changes. Improve our posture, our breath, our focus, our tense and tight areas and feel stronger, healthier, more mobile and less achy, more alert and energised, to feel calm and steady, grounded and serene. 

We are doing both
Simultaneously we are being in this moment, and becoming something more. We are improving and developing for future health and wellbeing. Plus we are full immersing ourselves in the moment as it unfolds. And cultivating our awareness to all of this. 

There is no contradition
 Yoga invites us to be fully immersed in the practice. To let go of the goals and aims for a moment and realise the potential of the place that you discover you are already in.
 
The practices also do the future work that you are hoping to achieve. The postures, the breath, the flow, the ease and stretch are there to serve you. You simply enter into your yoga, do the exercises and techniques sensibly, and watch it all unfold.
 
It isn't as effortful as it sounds. Sometimes less is more - allow the posture to do the work, let go of struggling or pushing and just be in it fully.
 
You just need to show up
The effort may well be showing up in the first place.
That much you do have to do.
 
A bit like spring time, where we find ourselves now. A magical unfolding of buds, flowers, lambs and all things gorgeous. You can't rush it. You show up to it and be in it and reap the rewards of its beauty and potential. 

​(The above photo is from last year's retreat in Somerset. A gorgeous toddler staggering happily after a cute pet lamb in fabulous countryside followed by a fluffy puppy. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.)