I tried some yoga postures on a paddle board for the first time the other day. I am proud of how it went for my first time, but I can’t say it was a smooth learning curve. I face planted multiple times, got the wind knocked out of me on the way to falling into the water, and I looked just plain awkward in some positions as I tried to learn how to balance on water in a current.
I also floated away on many occasions, nearly into a dock on one, adding a whole extra dimension to the absurdity.
A few important lessons did reveal themselves in the midst of my flailing and splashing, however. I think this is a common experience when we come to the yoga mat to worship God, connect with the present moment, and listen to our bodies. The experience on the mat translates into lessons in everyday life.
Here are 3 lessons that were revealed to me during my attempt at paddle board yoga.
1. Sometimes going slow is better than going fast
Getting the headstand was difficult at first. When I first started out, I thought I could just kick my feet up and find myself in a supported headstand like I do on a floor. Each time, however, I would either sway too far to the side or simply fail to get my legs straight into the air because my balance was off too much. What I came to realize, however, is that the slower I moved, the less the board rocked and after a few tries, I was able to more consistently get into the posture and remain there. Instead of rocketing up into the posture, I paused along the way to find my balance in the new position, and then move on to the next phase once I was settled.
Sometimes in life it’s important to respond quickly and decisively. Often, however, it seems better to walk slowly. Consider different perspectives and voices. Listen to what your body and feelings are telling you at different stages. Pay attention to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Allow things to settle and then move forward.
For a person who likes to sprint through everything, this has been a tough but important lesson.
2. As long as we are still breathing, by God’s grace we can get back up and go for it again.
Look at the agony captured by Erin here.
Yes, I have just landed with most of my body weight straight on my elbow and half a second later I ended up submerged in water. But you know what happened next? I took a breath, climbed up on the board, and went for it again. Sometimes difficult things happen in life and we can feel like everything is lost. We take some hard hits. We feel like we don’t know how to move forward. The beauty of each and every breath, however, is that it’s an intentional gift from God. If you can take your next breath, even if the wind has been knocked out of you, God is inviting you forward. It may look different, you may have to go about it in a new way, or you may need to change direction completely, but you are alive and possibilities await.
If you can take your next breath, even if the wind has been knocked out of you, God is inviting you forward.
3. It’s ok to embarrass yourself sometimes. Humility is important.
I didn’t love the fact that we got more pictures of face-planting and falling into the water than me nailing the postures. You know what’s funny, though? I like the ones where I am face-planting. It reminds me that I’m human. I think they are funny. I’m nothing special. We all mess up and fall. None of us do things perfectly. When we are forced to face this in our own experience and life, I think it invites us to offer a little more mercy and grace to others when they face-plant. We are all slip-sliding our way through this life, and it’s only by the grace of God that any of us remain standing or do something that makes a cool picture. When we remember that it’s all a gift from God and that anything we do worthy of commendation comes from God, it frees us to love ourselves and others a little more openly, gently, and graciously.
What lessons have you learned on the mat, or paddle board, recently?
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