I CAN’T BALANCE!
Really? Or do we just get taught that a balance is standing on one leg and completing other tasks at the same time? Walking is a multitasking single leg balance which most of us do everyday, but sometimes yoga can be overly elaborate and end goal focused, leading us to struggle unnecessarily. Let’s reframe it.
What is a balance if broken down into the sum of its parts? Simply more weight in one leg than the other. Therefore we can balance in mountain pose with both feet down leaning, rocking or try a balance lying on our backs or seated. What would that look like? We can balance in many ways without our limbs leaving the floor or chair.
Many sports are balance based, even the ones we think of as being rotational are stripped back to weight distribution. Balance is important and requires other systems (such as the brain and vestibular) and body parts working together but balance doesn’t always have to be presented in the way we expect it.
In yoga we can be a bit obsessed with progression, labelling things as variations, modifications and view our practice as having to advance or improve. Lets try something fresh. Instead of building up to a balance how about breaking down balances taking the same balance and presenting it supine, seated,from tabletop, standing and allow time to pick preferred versions or indeed just normalising balance as appearing in many guises not just standing on one leg and weaving that idea throughout class. I am a big fan of a toe tap too as that constant tapping gives the brain all the valuable information about where the floor or body is and ideas of reach and participation.
Many sports are balance based, even the ones we think of as being rotational are stripped back to weight distribution. Balance is important and requires other systems (such as the brain and vestibular) and body parts working together but balance doesn’t always have to be presented in the way we expect it.
In yoga we can be a bit obsessed with progression, labelling things as variations, modifications and view our practice as having to advance or improve. Lets try something fresh. Instead of building up to a balance how about breaking down balances taking the same balance and presenting it supine, seated,from tabletop, standing and allow time to pick preferred versions or indeed just normalising balance as appearing in many guises not just standing on one leg and weaving that idea throughout class. I am a big fan of a toe tap too as that constant tapping gives the brain all the valuable information about where the floor or body is and ideas of reach and participation.
How could you reframe balance and meet it on your own terms?