We Are Not Inadequate

At the end of each training session, a different person "closes us out". This is basically to practice how we would close out a class of our own. It also usually incorporates a quote to emphasize the theme we potentially weaved throughout our class. It's astounded me how freakishly relevant a lot of the quotes are to my life and what I've been realizing throughout the training process. Last Saturday, Kathleen closed with this quote by Marianne Williamson-- 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." 

What I didn't realize is how often we down play our goodness in order to fit in versus stand out. People don't like feeling inadequate around other people, therefore people tend to shrink in order to make others feel big. But what if we all lived, existing in our highest potential. WHY would we NOT? We are not doing anybody a favor by downplaying what we've been blessed with. We are not doing ourselves a favor by surrounding ourselves with people that don't illuminate and emphasize our greatness.

For me this plays out in so many ways. I am mortified when I am on the cusp of something amazing. As I'm learning more and more about teaching yoga and as I'm growing in knowledge- my thoughts are working against me. I worry that I won't be able to reach a group of people that will want to be taught by me. I worry I'll mess up. I worry I'm not confident enough or friendly enough or fit enough... but why? It's because I am more than capable and my potential is so great that it's frightening. It's our minds tendency to second guess ourselves and be afraid when we move into unknown territory, which naturally feels extremely vulnerable.  

It's the same within the physical practice (which is always the case). When I head into more difficult classes where I know inversions will be an option or where holding a position is longer or more difficult, I'll pull out. Being in core demanding positions, for example, are very difficult. My body shakes because it is changing. It's becoming stronger. This is usually the point when people (including myself) stop trying. This is the vital point we need to push past. This is because our bodies are always capable, which is not a commonly accepted belief. Our mind determines our relationship with our bodies. And to ACCEPT that are bodies are limitless, that WE are limitless humans is absolutely frightening. This is because once we truly accept this premise we won't settle for less; we are sent on a mental adventure of fulfillment. We want to be our best. And we will be our best once we will tell ourselves that we are.