Full points for consistency.
The thing is, that before class, she'd be trying to handstand (she'd be using the wall). Now, a year later, there she was, up against the wall, trying the same thing.
Obviously, she wanted to get into a handstand. The thing is, that she wasn't getting very far with her approach to practice. Even after a whole year.
Now, not every class offers handstand practice. In fact, very few classes practice handstand.
So, if she wanted to handstand so badly, why didn't she just not go to one of the classes, and use the time to practice handstand?
I don't know the answer to that question. But I do know that if you consistently practice a pose for a year, you'll make progress.
So, what lessons can we take away from this yogini?
Well, if you want to get into advanced poses. You'll need to practice them outside of class.
This is just because classes do not consistently offer advanced poses. And you'll need to consistently practice the advanced pose to make progress with it.
Speaking of which...where'd the hell did backbends go? Whatevs.
Anyway, where were we...oh yeah...Not making progress...
So, one of the yogic Yamas (these are things you don't do) is dishonesty. So we are encouraged to practice honestly.
Now an honest practice is riding the edge between being comfortable and reaching for things that are beyond your current capabilities.
So you are dishonest if you are cruising within your capabilities, and you are also dishonest if you are reaching too far beyond your capabilities. The sutras call this "steadfast with ease".
So, back to our yogini. See, she wasn't being honest in her practice. She was being a perpetual beginner.
If she was being honest, then she'd be riding that edge right into an unsupported handstand, one year later.
Yoga's funny eh? Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Keep practicing, but make sure you keep advancing, or you just aren't practicing honestly.
Kirk out, J.
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