This morning I was inspired by the brand-new yoga students who walked into the morning class.
Twenty students took today’s Intro-Level 1 class today. For 9 of them, it was either the 1st or 2nd Iyengar Yoga class they’ve ever done.
To begin something new requires a strong act of will.
It is no small feat to walk into a yoga class for the first time, take off your shoes, discuss your physical concerns with the teacher, and then do exactly as the teacher asks.
All of the new students did just that this morning.
We steadied ourselves in one-legged balancing poses, strengthened our legs in the standing poses, discovered tight spots we didn’t know we had.
We breathed, we laughed and we all worked hard.
To be a beginner requires an open mind. We are asked to try new things — not knowing if we will succeed. We are asked to take a step toward our challenges.
The quote below illustrates my own experience on the yoga path. Whether you are new to yoga or among the most seasoned of practitioners, I hope it inspires you too!
“Do not wait for strength before setting out, for immobility will weaken you further. Do not wait to see clearly before starting; one has to walk toward the light. When you take the first step and accomplish that tiny little act, the necessity of which may be apparent only to you, you will be astonished to feel that the effort, rather than exhausting your strength, has doubled it—and that you already see more clearly what you have to do next.”
– Philippe Vernier