Virabhadrasana two

Sometimes the culture of yoga and fitness can leave us feeling like we aren’t measuring up. Not flexible enough, not skinny enough, not enlightened enough.

The belief that you need to be something you are not (enlightened or perfectly flexible for example) is an idea that, I think, keeps us in a constant state of “I’m not quite good enough”.  This feeling of not good enough happens to all of us and what we already are is left completely undervalued. Lets work from where you already are. And you are already enough.

The yoga I teach focuses on understanding who we are now, and learning to see that we are never just one thing.

To understand this concept, lets look at three ways of being in the world. These we call Pasun, Vira and Siddha. Let me explain.

Pasun literally means beastly, or cow like. This is the path of least possible resistance. Like when you just want to be real couch potato. I know sometimes I just need to turn off my brain and tune out. Lets just say I am familiar enough with reality TV to have a favorite Kardashian (Khloe rocks). But to much of this and I end up spiritually malnourished. You may have your own escapes. Life is to short to be guilty about guilty pleasures, but most of us end up asking “what more is there?”

The opposite of this would be Siddha. This means accomplished or perfected. None of us are perfect at everything but I bet there is something you are really really good at. Something you make look easy, but it is not really easy. This something may come naturally but you have probably worked at it too. This state of being is wonderful, but like Pasun, we are not spending most of our time here.

The one in the middle is Vira. This means hero or courageous or warrior. This is where most of us are if we are trying to be our best, to live and grow, to make the most of our lives. To get up off that (metaphorical) couch sometimes requires a lot of courage. A warrior’s spirit needs to be cultivated just to face the day sometimes.  Showing up willing for your yoga practice is an act of courage. Vira means you are trying your best and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. You are the hero in your own life.

We all have times when we are one of these three, and no one is one thing all the time.

Next blog entry – three ways to be Vira. Its probably not what you think so stay tuned!