A very chilly Saturday morning at Gray's Lake I shared yoga with Noah, a wise eight-year-old. After demonstrating the Downward Noah Pose, which looked very similar to Downward-Facing Dog, he shared that he wasn't a fan of the the speed of which the teacher lead us through the poses. Noah said, "I just couldn't get strong in my pose. I needed more time."
He had captured a lesson that takes many yogis months or even years to realize, if they even realize it at all. Our practice is not one of productivity. We don't step on the mat to see how many poses we can do and how many benefits we can attain. We practice yoga in an effort to find balance. Of course, there are many ways to accomplish this and types of balance we may look for and each day is different. Regardless, balance is often achieved with time.
As I was driving home from an outdoor retreat, I thought about my conversation with Noah some more. I had been saying very similar things to myself... "I'm just not feeling strong." It was his words that resonated with me... I need more time. My emotions were scattered and my body striving to catch up. He was right I just needed more time to find my balance. With breath and the affirmation that I am strong, time gave me what I had been searching for... balance.
