Perfection

"The instinct that draw us toward the dream of perfection is really a desire for God." BKS Iyengar, Light on Life

Yoga practice asks us to care for that stiff back, the ache in the hip, the broken heart, with all the love and compassion we effortless give to a suffering child. 'Do not bother about failures in this endeavor," we are admonished by the sages. Try for just a little progress to perfection (to God, Enlightenment, non-judgment, compassion, humility) each day. That is all that we need do.

Ten minutes of Asana practice each day is better than one hour done in one day at the end of a week. For ten minutes a day, the mind is given a chance to stop giving directions, worrying about the future, fretting about what was lacking for breakfast. Most profoundly, the mind is given a chance to be a student of the body rather than the other way around. A devoted and attentive stretch to the hamstring, letting the brain be 'in' that hamstring, acts like a cooling balm for an overheated mind. The mind is given a chance to pause, absorb wisdom from the body, the heart, and the breath.

The desire for perfection can stop us in our tracks towards the mat with excuses like, "It is not worth it to get out of this cold bed, I don't do the poses right anyway," or "This will be too painful," or "I'll start tomorrow when I feel more energy." Should I give you a list of how many things I haven't done because I thought I was not good enough to do them, wasn't getting anywhere fast? That list would be long and boring. Better to know that I now get up early every morning for Asana practice over the roaring of the crowd that laughs and chides me for getting out a warm bed, for entering a tight hamstring, for longing for God and perfection amidst my imperfections.