"I'm hoping to teach people who may be nervous about yoga, or feel like they aren't flexible enough or balanced enough to even try. If they hear other people's stories, it may help them to open their heart and eyes to the multitude of benefits that yoga brings. Physical, mental, and spiritual." - Melora Morgan, founder of Serenity Tree Yoga
Ustrasana is one of my favorite heart openers because it makes me feel vulnerable and open. It exposes you and shifts your gaze away from anything coming towards you that could be potentially threatening.
In the last few months, I've placed myself in vulnerable situations with purpose. Situations I typically like avoiding! I left a comfortable job at the risk of failure, I've said "no" when ordinarily I would be passive to avoid confrontation, and I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve with the risk of being hurt. Whatever the outcome in any of these given situations- I'm accepting.
We tend to associate vulnerability with weakness, and hide behind what we're good at or what's familiar to us. Maybe out of fear of failure, confrontation, or being hurt. But if we become defensive or numb ourselves... with drugs, alcohol, work, food... we can avoid all those uncomfortable feelings right? But numbing ourselves to the discomfort of vulnerability does more damage than good. We rob ourselves of growth, love, forgiveness, and support. So you see it's not vulnerability that makes us weak, it's avoiding it all together.
Approach joy, challenges, and disappointments with the same earnest. Challenge yourself to accept vulnerability. Start a relationship even if there's no guarantee it'll work out. It's scary as shit. Do it anyways. Share your gifts and talents freely with the risk of ridicule. Share it anyways.
Fail. Succeed. Do both with an open heart. Then shine on.
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