"I really want to practise yoga, but I felt so frustrated..."

朋友：其實我也很想練習瑜伽，但早前去了某瑜伽中心試堂，結果嚇怕了。

我：發生了什麼事呢？

朋友：那裏的人，大部份身體也很柔軟，所有體式也做到，而我好像是唯一一個甩甩漏漏，跟不上步伐的人。我不喜歡這種感覺，令我覺得自己很差勁。

這個我是完全明白的。

我們很容易有比較的心態，而當自己被比下去時自然不是味兒。

我給了她一些建議：

1. 調整自己的心態 瑜伽不是比賽，千萬不要跟任何人比較，甚至不要跟自己比較，不要批判自己，為什麼上星期我能伸展較多，今天卻不行呢？

緊記，在瑜伽墊上，練習覺知及接納，不要以做到看似難度高的式子為目標；瑜伽的重點不是把身體顛覆地伸展；你在體式練習中有多放鬆，有多跟自己的呼吸及內在連結才是重點。瑜伽的重點並不是身體的柔軟度，瑜伽的修煉更不是以高難度體式為目標。瑜伽，是修心，是控制心念的波動。在練習中就當全班只得你一人，將所有注意力全放在自己身上便可以了。

2. 尊重自己的身體及感覺 若真的參加了一個感覺不好的課堂，或身體應付不了的話，不用緊張，也不用勉強，先冷静自己，可以做嬰孩式 (child's pose) 稍為休息一下，甚或純粹坐着/躺着閉目休息，聆聽你的呼吸。

即使你沒有練習體式，若你能静静地聆聽你的呼吸，沒有被思緒帶走，你已經是在練習瑜伽了。

3. 感受身體的感覺 當自己感覺不是味兒時，身體其實有什麼感覺呢？頭腦有什麼想法呢？挫敗？沮喪？想哭？想駡人？想立即離開課堂？心跳較快？背部較熱？想起某些經歷？無論你有任何情緒及感覺也是可以的。你只需要像一個第三者般看着這些情緒及感覺便可以了。

你知道嗎，若你能如實觀察你的情緒及感覺，不壓抑，不否定，不批判，不分析，純粹的看着，完完全全的接納，感受這些情緒在你身體釋出的感覺，你已經是在練習瑜伽了，姑勿論你前彎能伸展多少，那完全不是重點。體式的練習，其實是預備你的心及身體進入更深層的練習，所以不要執著於那些看似完美的體式或自己身體不夠柔軟。

4. 選擇適合的課堂 尤其初學者，選擇一些步伐比較慢，程度比較低的課堂，讓自己慢慢熟習體式。

5.選擇適合的老師 這是非常重要的一環，每位老師也有自己的風格，有些老師較進取，會希望學生伸展更多；有些老師會採取中庸之道，提醒學生聆聽身體感覺；有些老師較剛強，有些老師較陰柔...所以，多嘗試不同的老師，找出自己喜愛的老師風格。

當你找對了老師的時候，在課堂上你很自然能溶入其中，會覺得很自在，很放鬆，有回到家的感覺。

千萬不要因為一次的不良感覺而放棄了瑜伽這寶貴的道路喔。

Friend: You know what, I really want to start practicing yoga, but I felt so frustrated after taking a trial class with a yoga centre earlier. Me: What happened? Friend: Most of the people there are very flexible and can handle all poses, I seem to be the only one who can’t keep up with the pace. I don't like this feeling, I was really frustrated. I fully understand this. It's natural for us to compare with others. When we are not as good as others we might feel frustrated.

I gave her some suggestions:

1. Drop all your ideas about yoga Yoga is not a competition. Never compare to others, never criticize yourself. Yoga is not about how much you can stretch, it's about how relaxed and connected you are in the stretch. On the mat, practice awareness and acceptance, yoga is not about mastering difficult poses, yoga is about mastering the mind. Yoga is not about twisting your body here and there, it's about your awareness and connection. Don't get influenced by other, focus on yourself, simply practise as if you are the only person in the class.

2. Respect your body and feelings If you really don't feel comfortable, or if you can’t handle certain poses, don't get nervous, it's totally ok to slow down and follow your own pace, you can calm yourself down by doing child ’s pose, take a short break, or even sit / lie down, close your eyes and watch your breath. Even if you don’t practice asana (yoga poses), if you can watch your breath quietly without being carried away by your thoughts, you are already practicing yoga.

3. Feel the body

How does the body feel when you don't feel comfortable? Any thoughts coming up? Feeling frustrated? Unworthy? Want to cry? Want to leave the class immediately? Faster heartbeat? Sweating? Memories of past experience coming up? It totally ok to have any emotions or feelings, simply watch these emotions and feelings like a third party. Do you know if you can watch your emotions and feelings mindfully, without being carried away, simply watch with complete acceptance, you are already practicing yoga. The practice of asana is to prepare the body to sit for meditation, so don't get too attached to the poses.

4. Choose the right class Especially for beginners, choose some basic class with slower pace so you can gradually learn the pose.

5. Choose the right teacher This is very important. Every teacher has his/her own style. Some teachers are more aggressive and expect students to stretch more; some teachers will adopt a more mindful approach reminding students to listen to the body; some teachers are more yang and some teachers are more yin... So, try different teachers/classes and find out your favorite teacher style. When you found the right teacher, you will feel like going home, you will feel so relaxed in the class, you will feel much lighter after the class. Don’t give up yoga simply because of one bad experience.