My annoying habit with yoga blocks

After class the other day my friend told me about the difficulty she had during the practice, when we were doing supine twists. You know the problem? Mats close together means everyone has to roll in neat synchronisation, otherwise there’s just not enough room. My friend’s neighbour seemed to have arms and legs everywhere meaning that she had no space to take her pose.

She was frustrated and angry at what she thought was selfish behaviour. Then bringing to mind that the focus of the class was broadly on our relationships with others, respect, acknowledging universal suffering and what we each might do in support of others’ needs, my friend felt guilty as well as irritated!

And then she felt super-guilty when at the end of class I apparently just picked up her blocks, and those of her annoying neighbour, and returned them to their place along with my own. I say ‘apparently’ because I really didn’t notice. I lose track of what I personally have been using, and I just tidy up generally around the place at the end of class. It’s just part of what I do. If I had to justify it, I’d say we’ve all shared a space and a practice, so by the end of that time I feel the boundary between me and not-me (and therefore mine and not-mine) is pretty fluid. There’s a strong sense of togetherness. Often some feelings of harmony. Sometimes I feel full of love.

In any case I just do what needs to be done. Sometimes it’s noticed and I’m thanked which I guess is nice; sometimes not, which also feels fine. I’d not thought about this before. It’s not really A Thing for me.

Hubby’s sardonic conclusion when I told him about this: “Well, that’s because you’ve drunk from the Kool Aid”, meaning I’d taken to heart my teacher’s habitual words about sharing space and loving your neighbouring yogis.

He said he finds this habit of mine really annoying too. He reckons my beloved neighbouring yogis don’t deserve it.

I reckon that’s besides the point.