Welcome back! In our last blog post, I spent a lot of time breaking down what it means to surrender and how it might look on the yoga mat. If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to check it out. It goes hand in hand with our topic today…determination.
Just like surrendering, determination plays a strong role in a yoga practitioner’s life. It’s important to know the difference between these two seemingly opposing forces, so that you can decide for yourself what you need physically, mentally, and emotionally each time you flow in a yoga session.
What Does it Mean to be Determined?
The power of determination will make you unstoppable.
Jean Charest
As with surrendering, there are many times for determination to rule your practice. Determination is defined as, “a positive emotional feeling that involves persevering towards a difficult goal in spite of obstacles.” Being determined is important not because we want to compete with ourselves or each other on the mat but because we want to move forward on our yoga journey. And this forward momentum, as it states in the definition above, is positive.
What Might it Look Like to be Determined?
Another similarity between surrender and determination is that it will look different from person to person and from day to day. Many people reading this may never have practiced yoga.
For you, determination may take the form of finally getting up the nerve to step onto a yoga mat and try a practice for the first time. Yes, you might fall on your butt while trying to wrap your leg in Eagle Pose, but be determined to get back up again and give it another try.
For those that have a regular practice, determination may mean taking on a physically demanding asana that you’ve never tried before. New postures, like headstand, can be frightening, but you have to find that determination deep inside of you otherwise you get stuck doing the same practice over and over again.
Remember, yoga is your journey. It’s not about a stopping point where you think to yourself, “Okay, I guess I’m good here.”
In addition to being determined to move forward in your practice, determination can also be used in your practice to build physical, mental, and emotional strength. There are times when your legs are going to start trembling in chair pose. Determination for one person in the class means holding the posture for three more breaths. This person is determined to build muscle strength.
Another person might focus on staring at herself in the mirror, repeating her intention for the day, “I welcome peace.” This yogi is building mental strength.
Then there’s another yogi in the back row. He finds his hands at heart center and tears start to fill his eyes. Today he is determined to let the tears fall without feeling any shame. This man is determined to build emotional strength.
All three practitioners are working on determination today, yet to all three determination looks quite different. Not one is better than the next. They all serve the purpose of moving forward on the journey.
Strategies to Use to Choose Your Daily Path
Now that we have dissected surrender and determination, I hope you can see that these aspects of the yoga practice share a lot of common qualities, but still they each have their own time and place.
So how do you know when to surrender and when to be determined? There’s no clear answer, but here are some strategies to use each time you approach a practice.
Tune in to Your Breath
Listen to your breathing. Are you straining so much that you are holding your breath? Do you need to take in huge sips of air from your mouth? Are your inhale and exhale shallow and ragged?
These are all signs that your body is in stress…definitely not the goal of yoga. You are probably working too hard, and it’s likely a good idea to take a step back physically. Be okay with surrendering.
Learn the Difference Between Discomfort and Pain
When you are in a particular posture, tune in to your body. What are you feeling? Are your muscles burning or are you experiencing sharp, shooting pain? Is there a slight nagging or an intense scream?
If your muscles are burning a little bit or you are slightly uncomfortable, this is probably the time for determination. Don’t get out of the posture now! The last few moments are when the changes really happen.
On the other hand, if your muscles are screaming at you or you feel any sharp intense pains, surrender. Asanas should never amount to pain. We are here to heal our bodies, not make them worse.
Acknowledge Small Changes
Your body and your mind are constantly changing, from moment to moment and day to day. Be mindful when you are practicing. Tune in to how you are feeling and acknowledge even the smallest of changes, even if those changes may be “moving backwards.”
One day you might be able to balance with your ankle steady in the center of your foot. The next day you might be a wobbly mess. On grounded days, be determined. Set goals and achieve them. Work as hard as you can physically. On wobbly days, surrender to the idea that maybe today you are going to lie on your mat in Savasana and work on your breath instead of working on Balancing Stick.
Conclusion
In summary, surrender and determination are a team. They work hand in hand each time you begin a practice. Sometimes surrender fills the role of captain, and other times that title falls to determination.
The key factor in deciding which takes the lead each practice is learning to tune in to both your body and your mind. Let them show you the way and come to understand that with each you are still proceeding forward on your journey.
If you have other tips for deciding whether to surrender or push forward with determination, please share them with the Terra Life Yoga community below. Next week, tune in to our next ABCs of Asanas where we will break down Warrior II.
See you on your mat.
~Teriane
P.S. Have ideas for future posts? Let me know in the comments or via the contact page. Namaste!
