It’s no problem at all to do handstands and backbends, but it’s “difficult” to practice the Magic Chair Pose. Have you ever experienced such a situation when practicing yoga? We all have at least one yoga pose that is difficult for us. So what do we do with these "difficult" poses for us?
When faced with difficult yoga poses, there are several ways to deal with them:We can avoid them entirely, resist them, or relax into them. When you shy away from poses that challenge you, you're not allowing yourself to grow in your practice. If you remain angry and frustrated while practicing a difficult pose, that tension will prevent you from fully expressing your breath and movement, and you may even injure yourself.
The best way to deal with difficulties is to let go of your resistance to them. Difficult yoga poses can be accomplished through the following four methods: .
1. Breathe through it
Stare at those postures you hate and stick to them no matter what, you will have a sense of confidence and accomplishment. If you can hold a difficult pose for a few breaths, you can get through anything. It's common to hold your breath or take quick, shallow breaths during stressful and challenging situations. Instead, when you're in a difficult pose, tune into your breathing, slow down, and stay connected.
2. Try, try again
We tend to dislike postures that we find difficult or uncomfortable. The best way to get stronger or more open in any pose is to practice it regularly. Practice your most hated poses regularly, guided by your breath.
3. Strike Difficult Poses
Sometimes our body structure limits certain postures. We may feel tension, stretching of the soft tissues, or compression—a feeling of being stuck or stuck. While compression isn't necessarily bad, it's a good sign that the "perfect" expression of a pose is gone.
When facing physical discomfort, give in a little. Introduce modifications or yoga aids Try some preparatory or strengthening poses until you are ready to fully enter the pose, or focus only on the energetic aspects of the pose rather than the physical aspects.
4. Learn from your resistance
Have you ever been in a yoga class and experienced an emotional release that left you crying or upset? Our bodies store unexpressed emotions and traumas that we have suppressed, and yoga often opens us up to what is hidden within.
Uncovering these hidden emotions and triggers can be stressful and uncomfortable, but it can also put us on the road to recovery. When a difficult pose illuminates a hidden problem, make a mental note of it, complete your practice, and you can work on solving it once you're off the mat.
Remember, yoga is about knowing yourself physically and spiritually. Use it as a tool to move you forward. Know your body's limits and work backwards, perhaps using props and preparatory positions to find a different path. Look within to see if your frustration with a certain pose is due to trauma or other hidden emotional issues. Find peace in the practice and accept what your least favorite pose is trying to teach you.
