Of all of the yoga asanas, child’s pose has probably taught me the most about myself.
When I first started practicing, I was very competitive. Though I heard my teachers say « rest whenever you need to », the message didn’t sink in for quite some time. Through practice I gradually began to have a better understanding of my body, of breath, of being present. It was a big battle between me and my ego to allow myself the surrender of child’s pose. But once I finally did — not because the teacher told me to, but because I wanted to — what a relief. What a joy to breathe fully, to slow, to soften.
Sometimes the hardest postures aren’t the crazy, twisted, upside-down ones. Sometimes the real challenge is slowing down.