Go There
It is sharp. If you push too hard, it will cut you. It is distant. If you find it, you will be alone and lost. It is steep. If you get too close, you will fall. But what if instead of getting cut, you used it as a tool. You were not alone or lost, just discovering. You did not fall, but enjoyed the view. Would you go there?
It is the edge.
Yoga gives you opportunities to challenge yourself, mind and body. To explore the boundaries of a new pose without judgment, to boldly hold poses gaining strength and balance, and to trust yourself to go as far as you need to as you flow through a practice. Yoga gives you an opportunity to find your edges on the mat.
Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) posed the question…“what is your edge?”
My edge is disorganization.
Everything has a proper place. I can tell you the small paintbrush you need is in the office closet, in the middle bin, on the top shelf, in the blue pouch. Clutter makes me anxious. Unopened mail sitting on the counter has about a two-day shelf life at best. There is no such thing as a mess. I will drop everything to grab a magic eraser and wipe the scratch no one else even noticed off the wall. I plan out tasks, meals, and errands days in advance with lists, calendars, and mental notes.
When I do not have time to organize my life to my outrageously high-standards, I tend to rush and push myself. I over-compensate and race against self-inflicted goals and deadlines, inevitably causing myself stress when I cannot meet them. The stress makes me vulnerable and irritable. I experience headaches, muscle tension, and emotional craziness. Basically, I am on a mission and neither my body nor anyone else can get me to slow down.
In the end, I stir up unnecessary disorganization.
"Always go too far, because that’s where you’ll find the truth."
-Albert Camus
Oddly, I am aware of this. I am still working on creating space for disorganization. Realizing I am the only one who cares about the unopened mail on the counter. Knowing the grocery shopping, cleaning, and laundry do not always have to be simultaneously checked off the list. The evening and weekend demands of YTT have indirectly opened me to slowing down, and allowing Brad to help when I feel like there are not enough hours in a day. When I create space, I reach the edge without falling.
It can be intimidating, but even more liberating. Find your edge…and go there.
