Yoga Students

I just read this today at Prana Journal and just wanted to share it, as I really liked it (Desiree is Desiree Rumbaugh, an Anusara Yoga teacher):

Desiree said that you can tell when a yogi is advanced because they take their time getting into poses. It almost looks as if they were practicing in slow motion. That's because they are observing and parsing all the information coming back from the far reaches of their limbs with scientific rigor: how do the muscles feel, have they reached their edge, is there a risk in pushing beyond the edge, do I feel at ease, can I dwell in stillness in the pose, how can I get out of this knot, what emotions and energies are released by this pose, what am I revealing about my mind or spirit in this vulnerable pose and so on. A beginner will zip through the vinyasa, and in and out of poses, as if he/she is sprinting to a finish line. The intermediate yogis are the ones who get themselves injured, Desiree pointed out, because they are pushing recklessly beyond what is physically safe and worth the risk for the practice.

I guess that's why I like Forrest Yoga, I mean, it works for me in a way that slows me down with its long holds (I'm one who's always in the hurry), and makes me listen to my body. I still have a lot to learn until I get to the stage she's talking about, though.