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Pain and Patience

pain

I visited my yoga studio for the first time in three weeks yesterday. Upon arriving, my teacher asked how my injury was, and I told her I was very much improved and ready to dive back in. She looked and me and said, “Sarah, you need to be patient with your body. Please take it easy.” I thought to myself, “of course!” I thought I was ready.

The class was so frustrating. My body was frustrating. The pain was there. The grace in which I flow through postures was most definitely not. Even dialing back my effort by half, it was hard not to grimace.

Leaving the class, I felt so defeated. When would I be able to enjoy something I love so much again? When would the pain leave? “I’ve done ALL the stuff I’m supposed to do to heal!,” I thought.

Oh, Sarah. Patience.

Practicing patience is so incredibly difficult. Harder than any asana. No one wants to be in pain, whether physical or emotional, but we simply must give ourselves the proper time to heal. Because with every day that passes, those muscle fibers, bones, and ligaments will heal. Even the heart will heal…it’s a muscle too, after all. Maybe not exactly the way it was before, but in a way that allows you to experience life from a new perspective. However, until that time comes, you must give yourself grace. You must soften into the pain, not fight it. Be gentle with yourself, as you would with any of your loved ones.

Because the pain will subside. It always does.

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3 comments
  1. Colleen

    February 8, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    This is so lovely. Thank you. I needed this today.