Stress teaches us a lot about ourselves. We become aware of our natural coping mechanisms. We learn how to motivate ourselves and how to find comfort. These are important things to know about ourselves in order to survive. For me, I have learned I do not always work well under pressure. In fact, if I feel forced to do more than my mental capacities can absorb, I will just shut down, burn out, and give up.
Yet there are others who need rigid structure to succeed. They work best under pressure and relish in endless goals. Learning how best to channel our inner creativities and talents in order to succeed is largely rooted in learning to understand ourselves.
These thoughts, for me, came to mind as I was examining myself as a yoga teacher. The way I run classes is similar to the way I do many things in life. I do not always structure my routines. Instead, I fill my head with endless poses and combinations, preparing just enough to keep me on schedule. I read books and gain knowledge and then I flow as my spirit leads. I have done so many routines on my own, that yoga becomes freedom to move and bend as the body and spirit allow. That is how I engage my inner creativity, through the freedom of flow.
What kind of person are you? Do you work best through structure or go with the flow? How does this relate to your yoga practice?
