I Was Hesitant to Post About Being Less Flexible in Yoga. Millions Responded.

"Standing Forward Fold was the measuring stick against which I marked my progress. How far I could go in the pose represented a level of flexibility I never thought I'd access as someone living with chronic back pain. The idea of intensifying the stretch in Forward Fold felt like my chance at a new identity."

"Once I was flexible enough to rest my chest against my thighs, I moved on to standing on blocks to make the pose even more challenging. There was no end to how far I would push myself. Then a spinal injury changed everything. The pose I once used to measure my progress became the pose that revealed my limitations."

"After my injury, returning to my mat felt like starting entirely over. Given my history with spinal stenosis, it wasn't the first time I had to rebuild my physical yoga practice. But this time, something in me had changed. I no longer wanted to push my body's limits. It felt like yoga was no longer about achieving the most demanding expression of a pose, but restoring my body to balance."

"So I let go of the version of me in the past and accepted who I was in the present. Rather than looking for depth in the pose, I began setting myself up for ease, just as I had instructed so many students to do in the past. "Move your feet hips distance apart, take a generous bend in your knees, and place blocks under your hands." These were no longer generic cues, but necessary adjustments needed to allow my body to participate in the pose with compassion rather than force."

Standing Forward Fold served as a measure of flexibility and progress for years, especially despite chronic back pain. Increasing intensity in the pose became a way to pursue a new identity, including resting the chest on thighs and using blocks to push further. A spinal injury changed the meaning of the pose, turning it into evidence of limitations and making returning to the mat feel like starting over. With spinal stenosis history, rebuilding was familiar, but the inner approach changed. The practice moved away from achieving demanding expressions toward restoring balance through surrender. Adjustments like wider foot placement, generous knee bend, and blocks under hands became essential for ease and compassion rather than force.

Read at Yoga Journal