We’ve all been there. Sitting on our mats in an open room surrounded by yogis with jars of green goodness, lotus tattoos, and exuding inner peace. They stinkin’ glow with the “inner light” we’ve been trying to harness for years by juicing, sweating, and pushing ourselves harder. It’s discouraging, it’s shaming, but if met with a dose of self-compassion and awareness, it’s a beautiful part of our process.

    We as yoga teachers and practitioners are called to be seekers, not saints.
  
    I recently attended a yoga workshop where my lack of practice and dedication stared me hard in the face. I felt like an outsider, a poser, a yoga teacher who didn’t want to meditate or practice for fear of having to confront her own emotions and life junk that inevitably bubbles up in stillness. I was preaching self-awareness and finding the inner light, but I couldn’t muster the energy to search for my own light that now felt like a tiny ember.  It was a painful awakening, but one I am now grateful for experience.

   You see, by not practicing, it’s like experiencing the light after dwelling in the darkness. They need one another in order to exist. Experiencing the feeling of NOT practicing asana, pranayama, or meditation gives us powerful information on the divide between who we want to be, how we want our minds and bodies to feel, and where we are today in the present moment. By stepping off the mat, we are given the opportunity to increase our appreciation for our practice and highlight the meaning it has in our lives.

   As a teacher, this is powerful stuff. My own teacher Shanon Buffington explained to me that kicking the “yogi shame” is key to connecting with students. We are human, we are relatable, we are seekers and healers. I don’t have to be a sage to be able to teach the benefits of yoga. I am a better teacher for experiencing my own ups and downs on the journey and translating those into means of connection. We are all on a journey that doesn’t usually include a steady ascent to guru-hood, and by owning that and bringing it into the yoga room or conversations with fellow practitioners, we are affirming that there is room for growth, gratitude for our practice, and experiencing all aspects of a yoga journey that leads us to a higher place. Yes, even the mucky spots where our practice, or a lack there of, is uncomfortable or exposing.

   So next time you’re feeling down on yourself for not hitting your five classes a week, or for getting in a yoga rut, remember, you can choose to use this gained awareness as fuel for the fire to get back to the mat, or as an excuse to walk further away. Enough of the shame or the “shoulds”. Let’s get real and own all dimensions of our Yoga journey! We are more authentic people for it.