Oh my, yesterday I just did not want to go to the 4th of a 6-week yoga intensive class.  I’d had a big lunch with a business client, and truthfully, a couple of glasses of wine.  I felt too full.  I felt a little tipsy; weak in the knees, really.  The thought of dragging myself to that class just was no fun at all.

Yet, I’d paid for it, and may I confess, I had had to miss the class the week before.  I had made a commitment to God and to myself to take the ongoing class to build up some more strength, and I felt guilty at the prospect of backing out.  I was still at the same level I’d started at.  My upper arms a bit sore from a sprain a few weeks back, even some residual pain (or at least I thought).

I told myself, “if I just get myself there, I’ll probably like it.”  Yet, another side of me thought that was a lie!  That voice reminded me, “you’ll hate it and be miserable, they will have progressed into really hard postures, you won’t be able to keep up, not to mention the sore muscles that will prevent you from doing it right.  I’ll look like an idiot, or worse, FAT! Or OLD!”  On and on, the thought-mill ground.

So, like with everything else in my life, I gave all the thoughts, worries, slumpy-body, woozie-feelings, etc., etc. to God, and asked for help to get to the class.  How lovely!  My wife was leaving and walking in the same direction I needed to at the same moment of departure.  We just continued the conversation as we walked together.  In almost no time, relieved of all the mind-chatter, I arrived at the yoga studio.  I was in time to get the best spot, next to a wall: support if I needed it, which was totally reassuring.

The class was not as hard as I thought.  Only twice did I need to modify a pose, and I just did it, not caring what anyone else thought.  The teacher didn’t say a word.  Happily, that’s a class that is pretty forgiving; they always say to do what you can, and if there’s a sharp pain, stop.  The teacher began the session saying, “The practice of yoga is what you make of it… if your mind is saying ‘this hurts, or it’s soo hard’ then that’s what you will get.”  Synchronous.  

Several times I was killer-thirsty, so rather than suffer, I simply got up, walked out of the class to the drinking fountain, and slurped a wet recharge.  No one cared, and neither did I.  I needed a drink, that simple.

In the middle of it, I wondered if I had the strength to keep going.  So I just ideated on God, praying my prayer over and over, and following the teacher’s instructions.  We did some really good-feeling new poses!  They were not hard at all!

Before I knew it, the class was over, and we were resting on the mats.  My body felt GREAT.  The over-full feeling was gone.  The woozy-wine-head was now clear and quiet.  No arm sprain pain.  I felt wonderful, and really happy that I’d overcome my resistance and just did it and I thanked God for the experience.  Makes me want to do it again today, because I know that my little effort will offer big rewards.

Do you have a similar experience?  Doing something you know you should do, doing everything to avoid it, but doing it anyway?  Would you please tell us about the rewards you enjoyed?  We’d all love to be inspired.