For a while now I've been wrestling with the paradox of practicing at your edge AND resting b/c you're listening to your body. At the surface the two commands appear contradictory, and depending on the teacher uttering them, they can feel incongruent too. And so, it's with great excitement that I've finally cracked the code on this mystery. For several months now I've believed that it was all about the intention behind the teacher's words that made the difference -- and yeah, that's still But also, it hit me today on my mat that it's also about willingness to be conscious and awake and actually in your body. So practicing at the edge is not about doing wheel vs. bridge -- it's knowing if you really *want* to do wheel b/c it's what's right. Which means that you can be resting and still at the growing edge. Super cool.
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One of my new favorite quotes is one of MLK jr's: You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step. I guess that could be extended to say that it's the second, and then third, followed by fourth, etc that have to be taken too. Read: commitment. Which everyone knows I like about as much as onions. I realized that if I really want to write a book then I have to commit to writing daily -- even if it's shite and that with some discipline the pages will unfold. This may not be necessary for everyone, but I know myself well enough to know that if I can make it through the "this sucks" sessions (which is where I usually bail), the nectar is just on the other side.