Yoga Journey #15

Mysore challenge

The overall consideration of this challenge is Multiple Sclerosis. It’s always with me and always will be. Throughout this entire yoga journey I continue to be surprised by my own resilience as I continue to push the boundaries of this disease. There have been many points along this yoga journey that I thought MS would stop me, especially in this challenge, but that has not happened. My yoga progress has been slow but it continues.

There is something to say about the power of positive thought. And that ability to keep forging ahead with that mystical knowledge that it will happen. For this person with MS, yoga has been the perfect vehicle to prove this point. I keep at it, I don’t stop, and here I am. Ashtanga continues to surprise me by how with continued effort I progress and the most notable thing about MS and Ashtanga is; they can coexist.

I was not sure what kind of an impact adding daily practice while stopping my medication at the same time would have. But again I’m in awe of what I can do. That’s not bravado it’s just a conclusion of what is happening. There is so much to digest in this challenge with the confluence of these two points. It was a consideration and almost every day, in that very first asana, I breathed and instantly knew that I would complete today’s practice. My mind was predisposed.

This challenge has reinforced to me how the mind informs the body. I’ve known from the beginning that I would complete this small challenge. It’s not surprising to me how the mind works; if I believe, really believe, then it will happen – it always has.

And as I connect this belief to my journey to teach I’m reminded that my continued exposure to yoga and teaching was / is funnelled through the positive guidance of my teacher, Rachel. Everything was always possible, there was never a limit spoken or inferred on what I was capable of. And the support I received when I knew I wanted to teach was incredibly generous. The importance of all this to me is; it seeds the mind, its a positive head start. What the mind thinks, happens. What feeds the mind, breeds. What calms the mind, loves.

In this challenge I did expect my practice to improve but I’m surprised by how much. Lots of improvement in many different asanas and also in my physical strength. Before COVID I would normally practice four to six times a week and during COVID that dropped to about two to five times a week. There was a few weeks that I did not practice at all. So attempting this challenge was not without its concerns.

And in an effort to lose those extra pounds I returned to my regular food consumption but added vegetarian protein and collagen powder. No more treats, snacks, and alcohol down to about one maybe two glasses of wine a week. So combined with daily practice I expected to lose weight and I did, not quite pre-COVID levels but pretty close.

I was improving and enjoying my practice up until Monday January 18th. After that, practice became a chore to get through as MS was making its presence clear. For nine days I struggled to get through and on Sunday the morning after meds was a practice that almost did not happen. There was much telling me to not get on my mat but there was more telling me the opposite.

During that week of MS the biggest challenge was between my ears. I had doubts before every day before I got on my mat. On Wednesday of that week I had balance issues, numb hands and feet, and lower back pain all due to MS. It was the one and only day that when I hit the mat I had doubts that I would do a full primary and I ended up doing a half primary instead.

Positive thoughts are always the precursor to a successful practice for me and most days that’s what happens.

It’s interesting that in only one month I’ve changed my view as to what is possible. I was kinda in a rut with practice just going along not progressing and going through the motions.

But now I’m recharged with the possibilities.

If I was to pick one asana that surprised me I’d have to say Sirsasana. It’s always been a struggle to slowly bring myself up and then stay up. But I added some second series asanas and two that teach added that completely changed how I viewed this asana. As a person with MS, balance is always an issue and especially upside down but I’ve finally broke through and understood how my core is what was holding me back – not my MS. It’s been shocking at how fast things improved – who knew.

From just a yoga point of view it’s been an experience that showed me what’s possible. I’ve discovered way more than I anticipated and if you haven’t already; give the challenge a try, you may be surprised.

Positive vibes have a way of conditioning my own expectations.

Be safe