Yoga Envy
March 2021 -
YOGA ENVY
Yes, yoga envy is truly a thing. I even mentioned it in last month’s blog. If you have never experienced it, GOOD FOR YOU! If you have; then you are picking up what I am putting down!
Yoga envy is when that person in your yoga class seems to embody everything about yoga; the dress, the walk, the vibe not to mention all the poses! They even go into poses and add on postures that the teacher hasn’t even called out. What’s with that! You can’t help but stare at them wishing for a moment you were them. In class your eyes are drawn to the beauty of their natural yoga movements. (Is there such a thing as natural yoga movements? Feels like it when you're watching them!) And yes, I admit it again, I have had yoga envy.
Envy is defined as “painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage.” Whenever we feel we are lacking and we experience pain or frustration and someone has something else that we don’t have, we feel envy. Envy can be felt because of lack of money, fame, power, beauty, talents, personality and even luck ect. Envy has the ability to create so much unhappiness and disharmony and be so very destructive. This is where coming to your mat and becoming mindful can help.
It’s said that through the cultivation of wisdom and spiritual love, our hearts can find a place of peace and acceptance of ourselves. So how do we do this? When we’re sitting on our mats and the teacher says, “Honor your body, don’t compare or compete with anyone.” This is your opportunity to make the practice about yourself, it’s your practice after all! How do we keep ourselves mindful and our eyes on the prize and not everyone else?
It’s ok to acknowledge your feelings, it’s actually what’s going to help you move beyond the Green Eyed Monster of envy. By taking time to notice what’s going on inside you, allowing yourself to feel your emotions and maybe even ask yourself why you’re feeling that way and then take some steps to try to flip the feelings.
Stop and take some deep breaths, bring your attention to your internal experience, find the tension and send your breath there.
Ask yourself questions on why you might be feeling the way you do. Why and what has made you insecure. Where might these feelings have come from? Are they truly valid?
Begin to list all the things your body can do. List them in your head and thank each body part for what it can and does for you.
Change the words up! Instead of saying, “I’ll never be able to look like that or my body could never do that pose, or I wish I looked like them.” Be inspired! “They are amazing to watch and beautiful, I’m going to focus on __________area of my body to help me obtain that posture too.” or better yet, “This modification feels great to my body and I know I look great too!”
A big no no is when your envy gets out of control and you push your body past its limits copying someone else. This can be avoided by taking a deep breath and becoming mindful. Is it really that important that you put your foot behind your head??
There’s nothing wrong with a little envy, it helps us to push ourselves a little harder, try a little harder or even try something new. This goes for so many different areas of our life, not just yoga. It’s when we stretch ourselves and learn new things, then practice those things over and over that we feel a sense of accomplishment that we grow and become better people. It’s finding a contentment and joy with where you are today with an eye toward where you want to be in the future.
We all have gifts and talents, we all have our insecurities. The challenge is to be humble within our own space and appreciative of others in their space. The next time you notice you’re feeling envious, send that person loving kindness, pay them a compliment and then remember, it’s not about the pose itself but the journey to get there.
I wish you all, love light laughter, health and happiness - Namaste,
Terry