We all have good days and not-so-good days.

And in yoga, I have days when a pose comes easy to me and there are days when the same pose makes me groan and grunt and yet nothing happens. I am sure you have those days too…

Last Tuesday, I had a CAN day! Ever since my pinched nerve injury in my leg, I have always tried to spend time doing warm-ups ahead of yoga stretches. So that Tuesday, I left early, dropped by the gym, did a 10-minute treadmill and some leg presses, and proceeded to the yoga center.

Pio took us through a lot of salutations and there were several instances when I thought we were already done, only to hear him say, “Now, prepare your mind and body for the next pose…” (oh no, yet another salutation?). I could feel sweat on every inch of my body and I felt flushed all over.

But it all paid off in the end. When we got to the Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend, I held both my feet and wow, when I bent down, I got to touch the floor with my forehead! What joy and serenity to be able to rest in that pose! It almost felt like I wanted to stay in that pose for a long time!

These are the little lessons I learn in class and from my teacher. The poses all have purposes, not just corporal torture (hehe). Having good warm-ups allow more flexibility and make difficult asanas a little easier, if not do-able.

Patience is the biggest virtue I am learning all throughout. Maybe I was able to do the Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend last Tuesday. Next time, I may not be as lucky. But the fact that I found I can actually do it under certain circumstances tells me that in time, it will become a regular, do-able pose.