One of the concepts we talk a lot about in yoga is called The Edge. It’s that place between too much and too little that we are seeking on and off our mats. Another way to describe it would be as a sweet spot…any more would be too much but any less would be coasting. In teacher training, we talk about the concept of Pushers and Coasters. It’s a definition of how most of us navigate through our yoga practice as well as our lives. We go around the room during training and I ask each person to state which extreme they are and why? Without exception every person has identified themselves as either a Pusher or a Coaster. One is not better than the other. They both just represent extremes on a continuum. The intention with both extremes is to work to move closer to the middle which represents balance.
That being said…I am undoubtedly a Pusher. (Probably not a big surprise to many of you.) I push myself but also those around me. I rarely sit still and as soon as I have an open night with no plans, I fill it. I have an incredible case of F.O.M.O. Fear Of Missing Out. If there is something going on, I want to be part of it. Sometimes this serves me well…I push myself and others to do and accomplish a lot in life. My life is full of activities…of going and doing!! I love being surrounded by people…friends, family, and my BL community!!
BUT…of course there has to be a BUT. I struggle to be still…to slow down…to stay home. In an effort to always go and do and cross things off my list, I admittedly rarely just allow myself to BE. So this brings me to our Body Language Book Club. I used to be an avid reader. As a child, I loved to read. Then came kids, and buying BL, and my incessant busyness. So when we started the Book Club at BL, I thought I would buy the first book and participate in the first Book Club discussion. I loved the idea of a little BL community within our community and thought it might be a good way for me to get to know some of you a bit better. Well I LOVE it!! Having this book club has given my mind permission to slow down for at least a few hours a week and spend some time with just me and a good book. And if I find myself with an open night (which still doesn’t happen very often), I am better about wrapping my head around just staying home and reading. Almost as if my book has become my companion for the night.
I chose to share this with you today for two reasons…
1) Encouraging balance: Depending on your personality, you may find yourself tending toward one or the other of these extremes. Pusher or Coaster? The idea is to find an appropriate balance between these two forces. If you tend toward being aggressive and overly goal-oriented, maybe try allowing more surrender and yield into your practice and your life. (Using me as an example. Slowing down to stay home and read a book.) If your tendency is to yield and not be assertive, maybe try being a bit more adventuresome, energetic and exploratory.
2) Encouraging you to join Body’s Book Club. Maybe if you’re a Pusher like me, it will give you an excuse to slow down and read and maybe if you are more of a Coaster, it will nudge you to do something out of your comfort zone and connect with others.
Either way, we would love to have you join us. A new book is picked about every 6 weeks. The books vary in genres and are posted on the chalkboard in the lobby. The next meeting is Thursday, April 13th and the book is Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea. We hang out from 630-7 pm in the Link and then settle into the area Around The Corner for the actual book club from 7-8 pm. Unlike other book clubs you may have attended, we actually discuss the book. Mary Lou, who founded the book club, leads us through a series of questions and it always makes for an interesting discussion. It’s just $5 to attend. We recommend signing up in advance so we know how many to expect, but if you show up the night of, no worries!
Pusher or Coaster?? However we define ourselves, we all have room to grow. Often that growth toward a more equanimous life requires us to take action in order to nudge us to that place between too much and too little. And, of course, a great way to embrace this concept of finding our Edge is by practicing yoga. One of the intentions of yoga is that whatever w practice on our mat will permeate into our everyday life.
There you go…hope to see you on your mat AND at our next Body & Books book club, April 13th
Would love to have you join us!!
