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| The easy part of the trail |
Last week, as I was riding, I was thinking about writing this blog. I realize that while on a mountain bike trail I should be concentrating on the trail and NOT on my blog, but I was. What came to mind is this:
When I first began yoga, it was not love at first class or asana. Not in the least. Having had a professional classical ballet/modern dance background, yoga was actually very challenging for me, physically and mentally. It was not what I expected. I wanted to give up. I wasn’t used to anything physical being hard for me, and that made me angry. So, on this recent bike ride, I was thinking back on my first experiences mountain biking. It was hard, frustrating, challenging. Just like a yoga class, mountain bike trails and biking terrains are VERY different. To say that you tried yoga once or twice, or tried mountain biking and it wasn’t for you is like saying that you tried vegetables and didn’t like them! The options are limitless when it comes to how varied all of these experiences can be. So, for the first year or so of mountain biking, I was frustrated and very much felt like I did initially, with yoga. “This is hard. I hate this. It hurts. Who needs this anyway”? (But when I left class, or finished the ride, I always felt better….)
Well, a number of years in to mountain biking now, and about 18 years in to yoga, I can confidently say that they are very much related. First, I needed to find the KIND of mountain bike trails that were right for me. Then, like yoga, I needed to practice and not get completely fed up with myself if I wasn’t perfect on the entire trail or didn’t fall. Now, I must admit, I really enjoy when I don’t fall on a trail. It brings me a great sense of satisfaction, but falling isn’t bad. Just like in yoga. Its not about doing it perfectly. Its not about keeping your balance or doing the level 3,678th advanced version of the pose. No, its about the experience and our mental and heartfelt reaction to the experience. Don’t get me wrong. I love the days when I feel like I’m a mountain bike pro. But, inevitably, that day is followed by a day where I feel as if I’ve never ridden a bike before. In the end, its all about the balance (to sound cliche). We need the days and times where we challenge ourselves to grow, get stronger and explore something new. And on the flip side, we need to know when its a day to go on a bike trail, or do a yoga sequence, that we know, is familiar, and one that we can gain a great sense of confidence from. We need both, the challenge and the ease.
For all those out there, bikers and yoga practitioners alike, or none of the above, keep an open mind and remember that, we need a variety of physical activities for our mind, body and heart. There is no substitute for cardiovascular exercise, and there is also no substitute for Ujjayi breathing (yogic breathing). (And on a side note, for any of you who think, “That’s not for me”, keep an extra open mind about it. You may just fall in love with it!)
