As a new yoga teacher, lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the idea of support. Last night, as I helped one of my yoga students get into a headstand against the wall, my intention was to both support her but also give her the freedom to have control over the pose. I assisted her in getting her legs up the wall and after a few seconds, asked, “Are you ready to come down?” to which she replied, “Yes.”
So, without thinking, I…LET…GO.
Despite a bumpy landing on her mat, fortunately my student was fine. But I immediately understood what I had done wrong. I had only been a one-sided supporter. While I had helped her get into the challenging pose, I hadn’t helped her to get out of it.
In life, we can’t simply support people as they get into a “situation,” we must also support them as they get out of it. It’s such a simple notion but one that can be so easily forgotten. So remember…the next time you support a friend, don’t walk away just because it looks like they have everything under control. They may still need you more than you know.
Meditate with Maeve 