Progress in Yoga

My experience is that progress in yoga often occurs in seemingly small shifts that actually aren’t so small.
 
A student once shared with me that she holds the steering wheel of her car differently because of her yoga.

With the awareness and sensitivity afforded by her practice, she no longer grips it tightly like she used to. Instead, she holds it with a loose grip, allowing her shoulders and neck to relax.

This has changed her experience of driving. She’s calmer and less reactive to other drivers. Considering the substantial amount of time she spends commuting to and from work every day, this shift has had a significant impact on her overall experience of life.
 
Progress in yoga doesn’t always happen on the mat or the cushion, but in how the awareness that we nurture in formal practice permeates our daily lives. 

Like this student, we might experience it as new habits of body and mind that serve us better. We might notice it ordinary moments where circumstances are the same but in some way, we’re different.
 
Looking for signposts of progress, these small-yet-not-so-small shifts that make life more easeful and manageable - and appreciating them as such - is a great way to acknowledge the fruits of your efforts.

This recognition fuels your enthusiasm for practice and strengthens your commitment to, and belief in, the transformative power of yoga.