Dear Yogis & Yoginis,
Are you a worrier? More specifically, do you worry about everything or just a few things? Some people seem to worry more, others less. Taking the issue into a narrower focus, many of us worry about not being a good yogi or yogini.

I am basically not a big worrier, although as an "organizer" type, I do have to be concerned about things I am responsible for, and that covers a lot.

What saves me from becoming an obsessive worrier is the practice of yoga. Yoga is all about focusing on what we do from moment to moment. Each time we step on the mat, we shed the heavy burden of expectation. We surrender to what we are able to do each moment. We must accept the fact that we are not the same person as we were the day before, nor the same person as we will be the next day. Or more precisely, we are a different person every second of the day. What we can do yesterday, or a moment ago, may not be what we can do now. Our natural tendency is to hang on to the good times and reject the bad times. So when we are able to get into a pose beautifully we want to be able to repeat that "performance" again and again. We cling to that beautiful image and rebuke ourselves when the same experience may not return.

Some days I can lift into a tree pose (Vrishasana) easily and steadily, yet some times I sway, my feet and ankle feel weak, or eye unfocused. If I worry that I have lost it then my focus will become even more impossible. So I just tell myself "today I am not grounded and steady" and accept the results of lack of sleep or general lethargy. Some days I can forward bend all the way, other days that same pose is a real challenge. If I worry that others may think less of me and my skills, and if I cling to my good day image and force myself to bend all the way down, a sure injury is waiting to happen.

So step on your yoga mat with an open mind of acceptance. Enjoy progress if it happens, if not, just relax and welcome the opportunity to stretch your body, open your heart and get to know yourself better and better.

Namaste,
Clarie