Regardless of whether you are a seasoned practitioner of Yoga, or a new beginner, we are all certainly always susceptible to pitfalls if we don’t make a conscious effort to continuously reevaluate our practice. With that in mind, here are 5 common mistakes made in Yoga that are great to always keep in your periphery.
A Scattered Mind
When deciding to step on your mat, it is important to empty your mind of all the unnecessary. Leave the day behind and work to be fully committed to the present moment. Yoga is so much more than the bending and stretching of muscles, rather, a harmonic symbiosis between body and mind. Maximum benefit requires attentive and mindful awareness. An easy way to achieve this is to center on your breath. This is a great grounding mechanism to quiet the mind.
Inconsistent Practice
Yoga functionally requires commitment. Commitment to consistent practice, as it is by its very nature a continuous progression with each session building upon the next. Not only will inconsistency slow progress, but with every lapse you must work to recover lost time. With that in mind, try to get yourself in some sort of regular routine, or, if time is of concern, try to make best use of any scattered windows of time, whether it be in between meetings or at lunch. Every little bit counts.
Overworking
While regular practice is key, as mentioned above, there is a difference between consistency and pushing your body too hard. By this I mean pushing yourself beyond your limits or current capabilities. While it is good to push the body to a point of mild discomfort, you must always listen to what it is telling you and be honest about your limitations. In ignoring your body, you put yourself at risk of injury, which will only result in setbacks. Instead, take your time to react and respond to each movement as it comes and be patient with every outcome. Along those same lines, if you find yourself becoming too tired during a session to maintain good form, stop. Every attempt should truly count, or it’s not worth it. Lastly, push your body just far enough that it has time to recover for tomorrow’s practice.
Comparison
Just as in everyday life, comparing yourself to others is a deadly path to follow as we are all unique in our own talents, assets, and capabilities. Attempting to mimic someone else’s practice too closely or getting overzealous in our achievements is not only a road riddled with risk for injury, but disappointment. Focus instead on your own abilities while working to achieve your own individual milestones. What is particularly beautiful about yoga is each person’s journey is a highly personal one. Try not to lose sight of the bigger picture.
Jumping Ahead
Given excitement and eagerness to progress, it can be tempting to try and jump ahead of your progress. The problem is, skipping steps can be frustrating and can actually send you backwards. Always remember to work on the skills you are interested in, but in the right order using proven progressions. After all, we must learn to walk before we can run! There is so much information out there at our fingertips. Why not utilize it?
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