Getting away from Perfection in Yoga

A few nights ago in yoga class, a student of mined exclaimed, "I almost did the pose." I replied, "you did do the pose."

Even on the yoga mat we bring to class ideas of perfectionism or being right and wrong. At times I don't like to focus on precise alignment in yoga poses because it reinforces the idea of doing things right and wrong. People won't even come to yoga classes because of the fear of doing something wrong. Yoga should be about letting go and de-stressing, not creating additional stress. As a teacher I have to question my own intent in "correcting" postures as I teach.

In yoga, the concept of purnam or wholeness (perfection) teaches us that we are perferct already. Each moment in our lives is perfect and our souls sparkle with this divine perfection.

In yoga class, we can experience purnam by not focusing on "fixing" our poses but experiencing them as they unfold, noticing our breath, our sensations, our thoughts and emotions. We can then guide our bodies and minds into this wholeness and accept to grow this wholeness in a way that is right for us physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.

The concept of purnam, ahisma (non-harming) and overall safety has made reconsider hands on adjustments and achieving perfection in my own approach to yoga instruction and my philophy in yoga teacher training and yoga therapy sessions.