Yoga SUCKS!

Now that I have your attention.....

Ok, yoga doesn't REALLY suck, but man sometimes when I am in class and attempting to twist up in some pretzel-like pose that EVERYONE else in the room seems to be able to do with ease, I find myself wondering why the heck I'm there.  Then I wonder how much of a ween would I appear to be if I just unpretzeled myself and went home.  Right about then the instructor will make some comment about how glorious and bright and beautiful we all are, and then I am madder still because she or he has just ruined my vision of leaving in a huff, my righteous indignation tossed over my shoulder like a magnificent cape.

Then I have to ask myself, "Why am I so mad?!"  It's hard to determine in the moment, what with all the pain and sweating and such, but upon reflection I realize that yoga challenges me to push my own limits, physically and emotionally.  By being asked to do things I don't think I can do, and certainly cannot do easily, my inner critic begins to chatter and say not very nice things about me.  So then I feel resentful at the teacher, the other students, the jacked-up thermostat, anything that can displace my sense of inadequacy in that moment. 

What's the reframe, then?  Mostly to just chillax and realize that I am both doing the best I can, and I am there to do better, which is naturally going to involve discomfort.  It's about learning to celebrate where I am, and yet not get too comfy in my present location.  Remembering that no one is born a yoga goddess, and that I may not ever be as amazing as some of the people around me, but I have come a long way and can reasonably expect to go even further still.  Besides, I am in control of whether or not I relish the experience of being in class or resent it; no one is making me be there, and no one else controls how I feel about it!

Oh, and as for that yoga pose in the picture?  I can't do that......yet!