By definition, progress is the forward or onward movement to a destination; to move forward or onward in space or time. So if yoga is the practice of uniting body, mind and spirit (my extremely loose definition of yoga), how does one measure progress? How do I know if I am progressing? If I am getting better? If the path of yoga leads to enlightenment, how do I know if I'm there? Will I ever get there? How do I even know if I'm doing this yoga thing right? I can start with what you can actually see...
The photo above shows me doing side plank in the exact same spot (Zzyzx Road in the Mojave Desert) four months apart. This was so hard for me. In fact, I dreaded it in practice. But I kept at it. I modified until I had built the strength.
My Dharma Wheel was a gift from my boyfriend for Christmas. In December, that was the first time trying it. That "a-ha" moment when my shoulders opened up and I could press into forearm wheel was awesome.
When I first got back into yoga, I was pretty proud of my backbend. It was one of the "difficult" postures that I was able to do fairly easily. I didn't realize until recently how different my bends look after months of practice.
According to these photos, you can actually SEE the improvement in my form, strength and balance. You can see that my postures look different, maybe even more "refined". But every time I get onto my mat, it is a totally different experience. Some days I feel strong. Some days I feel flexible. A posture I do every single day may suddenly feel difficult, or I may hold an elusive posture for that one second and then not be able to get into it again for a long time. Sometimes I learn something new in a pose I thought I had down and suddenly it becomes this new journey. No matter how often or how much I practice, it is always new.
What you CAN'T see is how my muscles and joints and fascia have changed to allow these movements to take place. You can't see my breath, how I control and deepen it during my practice. You cannot see my focus, my concentration. You cannot see my thoughts. You cannot see my emotions. You cannot see how yoga has opened my eyes to the world around me and made me aware of my actions and behaviors. You cannot see the peace I feel inside.
Recently I had someone ask me what yoga has done for me. I rattled off the obvious physical benefits of yoga. But it was everything else that I think really hit home. I am calmer. I am more patient. I am more confident. I am more at peace with myself. I am kinder to myself. I am proud of myself. I am closer to God and closer to the amazing people in my life who support and love me for who I am. I am stronger. I am more vulnerable. I am more present. I am more forgiving. I am grateful.
No two journeys are the same. No two practices are the same. That is what makes yoga so beautiful. You are the only one who can measure your practice. And even when you feel like you have reached a goal, you realize you have so much left to attain. There is always room for improvement, always room to grow. It just gets better and better.
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