Note to self

I often have a little slip of paper at the top of my mat with a word or mantra written on it. It’s a memo to myself. I usually write it in Sanskrit, partly because I’m a nerd that way, but also because I think this will keep it private without distracting anyone around me in class. Unless I’m lucky enough to be practicing next to another Sanskrit nerd, that is! But lately my mat neighbours have become intrigued by my little notes. I’ve been asked several times what the words say. What is so important that I must have it under my nose during class?

Well, it changes, depending on my focus. My favourite word right now is Anavasthitatva. The dictionary definition is ‘instability’ which doesn’t sound such a good thing for a flowing vinyasa class. But in the Yoga Sutras ‘instability’ is nothing to do with asana practice; it refers to the difficulty of maintaining a particular mental state or attitude. We might translate as ‘backsliding’, ‘inconsistency’, ‘regressing’, something like that. I think of it as yoga snakes and ladders: one step forward, sometimes a couple backwards.

Now maybe you can see how this applies? I come to class full of good intentions about trying something different, something that takes me out of my comfort zone and helps me move away from old habits that aren’t doing me much good.