This was the view from my mat this morning.

I stubbed my toe on a rock yesterday and even though it’s a tiny wound it affected my practice immensely.

Yoga is hard when you can’t roll over your toes: Chaturanga to up dog was impossible, anything with tucked toes, even frog pose, became tricky. So, I modified. Like I always do.

I’ve modified my practice when my back pain has been so intense I could barely get out of bed. I modified when I had abdominal surgery and couldn’t stand up straight for weeks. I modified when Pepper died and I was so angry with myself I didn’t even have the guts to get on my mat. I modified when I hurt my shoulder, my neck, my knee. I modified when life broke my heart.

Essentially, it’s what this practice is—taking what life’s brought you today and adapting it to make it work.

To move forward. To grow. To learn.

Today it was a tiny cut on my right big toe so I skipped my jump backs but added plenty of handstands and core work. It turned into one of the sweatiest 90-minute sessions I’ve had in a long time!

Funny how the smallest thing can have such a big impact.

Modify. Adapt. But never, ever give up.

~

Author: Rachel Brathen

Editor: Katarina Tavčar

Photo: Author’s own