A series of intense storms came through the area where I live. We were spared from the brunt of it, but we still had heaps of wind and rain. I went outside to discover that one of my new Yoshino cherry trees had a decided list to port, and the other wasn’t doing much better.
Without hesitation, I went into the woods, found the perfect stakes for the trees, and returned to truss them up. You may be wondering what any of this has to do with yoga and why I didn’t just put stakes in the ground with my trees as soon as I planted them. It’ll all make sense here in a sec.
Plant wisdom
I’ve been growing things since I was small, and I come from a long line of people who've spent time working with plant relatives. I believe that plants have their own wisdom, and there’s science bearing out that they even talk to each other (KNEW IT!).
One of my beliefs is that plants should not be coddled. I make exceptions when plants are ill or young, but for the most part, it’s important to give them the things they need without overdoing it. We all know or have been that person that kills a plant with love. Too much water, too much sun, too much fertilizer, and they, like us, lose their vitality quickly.
I chose not to stake the cherry trees in the beginning because I wanted them to get strong. When I placed them in the ground, they had great roots and not so many leaves. When the breeze hit the trees, they swayed softly. In my indigenous mind, this is like strength training for the tree. If you don’t believe me, you need only look at seedlings who’ve never been exposed to wind. They flop around in their pots until they learn to hold themselves up.
When I saw the cherry trees leaning after the storm, though, I knew we were beyond a simple strength training exercise. While the trees were adapting to their home, they grew so strong. With the right conditions, they put out branches full of thick leaves. Their strength became the sail that nearly dragged them over. Without some intervention, another storm could flatten them.
Prop yourself up
In yoga, it’s the same. When we first take on our practice, we have to become accustomed to new ways of movement and different means of connecting with our bodies and minds. We might be like those seedlings exposed to the elements for the first time. We develop roots, and the effort of stabilizing ourselves creates subtle changes in the way we move through our world. We can stand stronger in time.
When you’re first coming to yoga (or returning after an extended pause), you may feel surprisingly tired after practice. Maybe you ache in spots you forgot you had. I can vividly remember being in the back of one of my first yoga classes and shaking my way through almost all of it. It’s a good way to grow.
Encouragement and a belief that we will become stronger can go a long way toward getting us over these initial growing pains. We build a sort of resiliency when we sit for meditation, “flunk” it by being too antsy, and then show up on our cushions time after time. We realize it’s impossible to flunk something we’re going to work on for our whole lives. We might as well learn to watch the waves come and go.
We’ve got your back
On top of great community support, our yoga props can make a big difference in how we take in our practice (whether this is your 5th or five-thousandth time engaging with your practice). Over time, you develop discernment about when to use them. In each of us, there are particular positions that will always feel better with props.
A block can be the difference between creating space within a pose or suffering to contort your body. I’ll take the block over the suffering any day! A prop can also be a lifeline. Just like the cherry trees could no longer endure the wind without a prop, you may find yourself reaching for the things that make your practice possible. Let's normalize that.
A yoga meets life situation
I wanted to encourage you to find the tools that make your practice work for your particular headspace and body, but this goes beyond selecting blocks and bolsters.
We develop a certain amount of toughness in order to make it through life. If we cracked under the weight of every negative comment or stressor, none of us would be left standing. Part of our yoga is discovering how to accept the present. When things are great, we appreciate the moment 100% because we know it’s fleeting. When we’re dealt a bad lot, we also learn to accept the present circumstances we’re unable to change – even if it doesn’t feel great. (That's not the same as staying in a bad situation or giving up.) We’re all doing this very human thing even though we’re also preoccupied with convincing everyone else that we’re fine, fine, fine.
At some point, you may find yourself feeling wind-beaten like the cherry trees in my front yard or shaky like I was in the back of yoga class. When this happens, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a prop. A hand on a block, the listening ears of a loved one, a medical professional’s guidance, the purr of a kitten, flowers in bloom, chicken scratch in a journal, tomatoes fresh from the garden, creative endeavors, laughter, and life rafts are all part of the same system. There are props for our yoga practice (a practice which is, in itself, a prop for existence), and there are props for our life. Use them all.
Where do you find your strength? Take ten mindful breaths and contemplate these things.