Yoga Note: It Is More About Doing Each Pose Right

One of the many things I like about yoga is there is always new learning from practicing it, the more I put heart in doing it, the easier the learning come out and the more profound the learning is. Whenever I'm distracted or not present, I do yoga just for the sake of doing it. That is a waste of time. After doing bikrams for 2 years, I find it boring sometime--same pose each time no matter where you are and who is teaching you. But recently I find it a lot of fun, especially when I reach to the new level with the same pose.


It is less about reaching the ideal level at the current moment, it is more about doing each pose right. When you work your strength, energy, focus right, your body is like a symphony and work it out naturally by itself, and you will reach there naturally, whether it is standing head to knee, toe stand pose, or triangle pose. For example, when I was practicing Standing Bow Pulling Pose, here's the process that I gradually made mental notes on over time that helps improve this pose better and better. Lock my standing knee--put my left arm 45 degrees forward to the mirror while level my hips squarely forward--focus my eyes on one spot--roll forward until my abdomen is parallel to the floor--kick right leg higher and stretch left arm forward. You see the importance here: lock the knee, level hip forward, abdomen parallel, forward and higher, and focus. With this coordination comes with a graceful "standing bow pulling".

During this journey, I also see many people, including me, are aggressive about "getting there" while neglecting the right way of doing each pose. I can see and feel other's anxiety when they practice--I have been there. After two years bikrams journey, I am able to be more concentrated on the moment of each pose. And I know, everyone needs to improve on their own terms, yoga is a journey.

Side note:
Benefits of the standing bow pulling: this pose helps develop concentration, patience, and determination. Physically, it firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs, and tightens upper arms, hips, and buttocks. It increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage and the lungs and improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine and of most of the body's muscles.