Arrive Willing.

Arrive willing.

This is a foundational concept in the 'alignment' principles I teach in my 200hr training.  Why do I use quotes around alignment? Because it's not about aligning yourself to any set of standards. Instead it's about arriving to discover what's possible. If you start with doubt, if you start rigid, no amount of anatomy cues are going to help.  

Notice if you are entering poses expecting them to be out of your league,  too hard, too painful?  Are you cutting yourself off before the motion has even begun?    Perhaps past injuries or traumas leave you doubtful and visualizing your success in a pose seems impossible. We all hold a lifetime of history and habits in our body. We all bring these assumptions to the mat.

 Then instead of ignoring these assumptions, recognize them. Then meet yourself halfway and simply arrive willing, willing to see what happens.

You might surprise yourself :)

"I arrive willing."