Did you know? Did you know that Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' famous instruction that "Practice and all is coming" is not always true with relation to Asana practice?
It is true in many cases indeed... and we have all experienced the evolution and growth in our physical bodies that come from DAILY PRACTICE. However there are many situations related to bone shape, bone length, and joint structure that will always prevent certain students from attaining certain Asanas. Any teacher who automatically suggests that more practice is definitely going to bring results in certain poses that are limited by joint and bone structure... is misguided.
Where the wisdom of "Practice and all is coming" is absolutely true is within the psychic and spiritual realms!
It can be said almost absolutely that our steady Sadhana (daily spiritual practice of Asana and Pranayama and Meditation)... with no days off... will bring huge results. These results tend to be in the direction of our evolution towards a more balanced mind and more peace in our heart and more clarity about the divine nature of THAT which is us.
And if as a result of your hard work and steady practice you are also one day able to get your leg behind your head for a few years of your life...then enjoy it!!! Doing intermediate poses and growing in strength and suppleness is a great goal...just not the end in and of itself. Verily, poses we attain will someday be taken away from us before we depart from this earth. But the fearlessness that comes from self-realization attained in meditation can never be taken.
It is true in many cases indeed... and we have all experienced the evolution and growth in our physical bodies that come from DAILY PRACTICE. However there are many situations related to bone shape, bone length, and joint structure that will always prevent certain students from attaining certain Asanas. Any teacher who automatically suggests that more practice is definitely going to bring results in certain poses that are limited by joint and bone structure... is misguided.
Where the wisdom of "Practice and all is coming" is absolutely true is within the psychic and spiritual realms!
It can be said almost absolutely that our steady Sadhana (daily spiritual practice of Asana and Pranayama and Meditation)... with no days off... will bring huge results. These results tend to be in the direction of our evolution towards a more balanced mind and more peace in our heart and more clarity about the divine nature of THAT which is us.
And if as a result of your hard work and steady practice you are also one day able to get your leg behind your head for a few years of your life...then enjoy it!!! Doing intermediate poses and growing in strength and suppleness is a great goal...just not the end in and of itself. Verily, poses we attain will someday be taken away from us before we depart from this earth. But the fearlessness that comes from self-realization attained in meditation can never be taken.
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