“Reach for your toes! Stretch your hamstrings! Now, stay there and breathe through the discomfort.”
Sound familiar? If you have attended a yoga class, and especially if you have tight hamstrings, you know the internal frenzy that can arise when the teacher cues the class into a funny position, then, with the softest voice, invites everyone to relaaax into the discomfort and even to enjoy it.
When I started practicing yoga, I could barely reach past my knees. It made practicing anything but relaxing. At times, it was borderline torturous. For the first few years, I got so uncomfortable and wound up that I used to look around the room and get pissed off at everyone. I judged the teacher and the flexible women. Hell, I even judged myself for being in class.
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Nick Palladino-King teaches students and clients how to reduce stress, to increase happiness and to elevate health through yoga, wellness coaching and strength training.