You are stronger than you think.
When I first adopted my puppy she was 30 pounds. I thought she was full grown, but apparently she was nowhere near full grown. People who met her when I first adopted her would see her months later and comment on how big she was getting. I see her every day and I rarely weigh her, so to me she doesn’t look like she has grown at all. The last time we went to the vet she weighed in at 70 pounds. About a month ago I came across a photo of her the first day she came home with me and I couldn’t believe how little she looked. I can’t remember her that size at all. Just like I was unable to see how much Luna had grown, this is how we are when it comes to the growing strength in our bodies.
Last Sunday we finished up my Belly, Buns & Balance (BBB) workshop. (It was so much fun playing with all of you who were there!) One of the main points I tried to drive home is to trust the wisdom of the body. We spend A LOT of time in our heads. Our heads have A LOT of stories about who it thinks we are and what limitations it perceives us to have.
Perhaps when you first came to yoga you didn’t have a lot of strength. Your balance was shaky, your hips were a little precarious and your belly was just a place you stored food. There have surely been moments in class when you felt awkward, insufficient or frustrated. Regardless you persisted!
If you have been taking classes on a regular weekly basis for at least a month, I guarantee you are much stronger than you were your first day. BUT, because our minds have a story about the limitation we had when we first walked in the door we hold on to that image of ourselves.
All this work you are doing in the classroom is paying off. Your body is learning alignment, building strength and most important: muscle memory. This muscle memory will be there for you when you need it. Like a reflex it kicks in and knows what to do. Now that you have given it the strong muscles to work with, it will serve you the best it can. Trust the work that you have put into your body. Trust that your body is a GAZILLION times wiser and more aware of what is happening around you than any story you have in your mind.
