Have you ever heard your yoga teacher say "find your edge" in a yoga class? If you have and wondered "my edge? ... what does that mean?" you're not alone.
Yoga is a personal journey of self-discovery, strength, and flexibility—both physical and mental and when we engage in a mindful practice, we truly bring our mind and body to a place in which we are encouraged to explore.
Understanding Your Edge
The concept of "finding your edge" is central to yoga practice, but it can feel a bit elusive at first. It's our personal boundary between where we are comfortable and where we begin to feel challenged to dive a little deeper. It's that sweet spot between comfort and challenge where we stretch ourselves (literally and figuratively) just beyond our comfort zone, but not so far that we risk injury or excessive strain. The goal is to grow without burnout or damage. Because we all are unique in mind and body, finding our edge is a personal journey that can't be shaped or molded based upon a thought or image. Our individual experiences, physical capabilities, and mental states are as diverse as we are, making each person's "edge" a deeply personal and ever-changing phenomenon. But finding this balance truly is key to a sustainable and rewarding yoga practice.
The Many Facets of Your Edge
Physical Edge: This is the point in a pose where you feel a deep stretch or strength challenge, but not pain. It's where you're working at your current limit of flexibility or strength.
Mental Edge: This is where you're challenging your focus and concentration. It might be holding a pose longer than you think you can or staying present when your mind wants to wander.
Emotional Edge: Sometimes, certain poses or practices bring up emotions. Your edge here might be staying with those feelings rather than avoiding them.
Breath Edge: This is where your breath is deep and controlled, but not strained. If you can't maintain steady breathing, you've likely gone past your edge.
Aspects That Contribute to the Uniqueness of Your Edge:
Physical Uniqueness: Simply put, our bodies are built differently. Factors like bone structure, muscle composition, flexibility, and even past injuries all play a role in defining our physical limitations and potentials. What might be a challenging pose for one person could be relatively easy for another, and vice versa. In addition, a person's approach to body image can impact how they view their personal progress in yoga. Whether it be gender oriented expectations or beauty standards and appearances, mindset surrounding yoga image ideals can influence how a person approaches their person edge.
Mental and Emotional State: Our minds greatly influence our practice. On any given day, our mental clarity, emotional well-being, stress levels, and focus can vary significantly. Somedays being present feels natural and other days, not so much. These factors can clear or fog our lenses of perception when it comes to our edge.
Life Experiences: Our past experiences, both on and off the mat, shape our approach to challenges. For instance, a person with an athletic background might approach their edge differently than someone new to physical activity or someone recovering from an illness may approach their edge in a way that is much different than someone who has not encountered health challenges.
Present Circumstances, Personal Goals and Intentions: What we aim to achieve through our yoga practice varies from person to person. Factors like sleep quality, nutrition, work stress, or personal relationships, can all impact where we find our edge on any particular day. Some people might be seeking physical fitness, others stress relief, and others spiritual growth. Our personal intentions will influence how we approach and perceive our edge.
Cultural and Social Background: Our cultural upbringing and social environment can shape our attitudes towards pushing limits, accepting challenges, and even how we perceive discomfort or effort. Some cultures prioritize harmony and balance, potentially encouraging a gentler approach to finding one's edge while other cultures emphasize enduring discomfort, which might lead practitioners to push themselves harder.
As we practice yoga, we learn to distinguish between the voice of fear holding us back and the wisdom of our body telling us to be cautious while we choose how to approach challenges on and off the mat. It's key to pause and recognize when we're truly challenging ourselves and when we're pushing too hard out of ego or comparison.
Our "edge" is not static. It shifts from day to day, practice to practice, and even moment to moment. What felt like an edge yesterday might feel naturally comfortable today, or what was achievable last week might feel out of reach right now. This fluidity reinforces the importance of staying present and aware during our practice, continually reassessing and honoring where we are in each moment, celebrating our unique progress, and being mindful when our ego begins to compare ourselves to others or to idealized images of what a yoga pose "should" look like.
Mindful Tips for Challenging Yourself Safely
Listen to Your Body: Listening to your body is perhaps the most crucial aspect of a safe and effective yoga practice. It's about developing a deep, intuitive understanding of your physical and mental state, and using that awareness to guide your practice. Begin with tuning in before each practice. Take a moment to check in with your body and ask yourself, how do I feel today? Some days you will want to push further physically and other days you'll want to explore your mental thoughts a little more. That's normal.
Respect Your Limits: Understand that your capabilities can fluctuate daily due to factors like sleep, nutrition, stress levels, and hormonal changes. Avoid labeling days as "good" or "bad" based on your performance. Each practice is an opportunity to learn about yourself. Be prepared to adjust your practice. If a pose doesn't feel right, try a modification or an alternative pose that serves a similar purpose. Don't hesitate to use yoga props like blocks, straps, or bolsters. They can help you find stability and alignment, allowing you to work safely at your edge. If your body is signaling for rest, listen. Child's pose or savasana are always available options. Learn to distinguish between the discomfort of a good stretch and the pain that signals potential injury. If you experience sharp, sudden, or intense pain, back off immediately. And if your teacher is offering hands-on adjustments, politely say no thank you if you feel it will bring you past your edge. Gradually explore your limits, being mindful of your hold times and your body's response to each pose.
Focus on Alignment: It's better to do fewer repetitions with proper form than many repetitions with poor alignment. Quite often people who push themselves into challenging poses without fully being ready may find themselves in the pose without the proper alignment. In yoga, alignment refers to the precise way in which your body parts are positioned in relation to each other during a pose. It ensures that your joints and muscles are working in their optimal ranges of motion and that you are engaging the intended muscles without being joint heavy, maximizing the benefits of each pose. Proper alignment is really crucial to avoid short-term and long-term injuries. When we focus on alignment and our natural range of motion, we enhance our level of awareness bringing a more mindful approach to our practice, and our bodies in general. If you tune your awareness inwards and your body feels "off" in a pose, it probably is. Listen to your intuition (aka your body) and ease off to reassess your alignment on both a mental and physical level.
Mindful Rest: Don't skip the final relaxation. It's crucial for integrating the benefits of your practice. Savasana is more than just lying down at the end of your yoga session; it's a powerful practice that allows your body and mind to absorb and integrate the effects of your yoga practice. It allows your muscles to relax and your body to release tension while calming the mind. And more importantly, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system to balance the effects of physical exertion on the sympathetic nervous system. Aim for at least 5-10 minutes, longer if possible. Use props to fully support your body, cover your eyes and simply be one with your mind, body and breath. Yes, your breath! This is the perfect time to actively engage in rest with mindful awareness of what's happening internally for you - so be mindful of your breathing and don't fall asleep!
In the end, finding your "edge" in yoga is a delicate balance of challenge and mindfulness. When we approach our practice with awareness, respect for our bodies, and a willingness to adapt, we can safely push our boundaries and experience the transformative power of yoga. Remember, the true measure of progress in yoga really revolves around your personal intention. Release the ideology of stretching into a pretzel or holding a pose for minutes on end—instead, let your awareness grow and focus on how your body, breath, and mind can align and propel you to the next level on and off the mat.
May you embrace your yoga journey, and let your edge be a place of growth, not strain.
Every journey begins with a step.
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Disclaimer: This post is for information purposes only and is not meant to be considered as medical advice. It is important to note that yoga and life coaching can serve as compliments to professional mental health therapy, not replacements.