I'm not good at Yoga!

Whenever someone says to me “I’m not very good at yoga”, I wince a little and a fire lights up in my belly!! 

This idea that we can be good or bad at yoga stems from our misunderstanding of what yoga actually is. In our goal-orientated, modern-world-view, which places emphasis on outward appearances, and prefers measurable “progress” based on mastery of techniques or physical ability, we lose the deeper essence and purpose of yoga.

So the next time you use not being “good at yoga” as a reason to not practice, please remember these fundamental things:

1. Yoga is not competitive - there can be no external, measurable standard of being good at yoga,  because yoga is a practice of self-awareness and discovery. It is an inward journey connecting you to your body, breath and mind. It is not a sport, pitting you against yourself or someone else - everyone is on their own unique journey in this thing called life, and what each person will need from their yoga practice will vary - day by day, year by year, and moment by moment. 
2. Yoga is about the inner experience - through our practice, we foster mindfulness, balance, emotional well-being and inner peace, not physical perfection (hence my disdain for the “yoga for weight loss” approach!). These things are not measurable by outward skill, and even if someone can execute “advanced” poses, it doesn’t mean that they are practicing with the right intention.
3. Yoga is adaptable to every body - your body, your shape, your size, your age and your physical ability have no bearing on whether you can do yoga or not. Your own biopsychosocial profile, making up your unique physical and mental health will be completely different to someone else’s. This is why I choose not to market my classes as “beginners” “intermediate” or “advanced”. Whilst some classes are more gentle than others, a person who struggles with a basic pose can be as deeply engaged in yoga as someone doing advanced postures. It’s the personal experience, not the outward appearance, that matters. The advanced yogi is one who listens to what their body and mind need in that moment. 
4. Yoga is a lifelong practice - The practice of yoga is ongoing and evolving. There is no endpoint where you have "mastered" yoga or become "good" at it. It’s about continuously learning, growing, and refining your connection to yourself. The aim is progress in awareness, not perfection.
5. Yoga emphasises non-judgment - A core teaching of yoga is non-judgment—toward yourself and others. Whether you can hold a pose or not is irrelevant in the larger scheme of the practice. The real yoga happens when you let go of comparison, expectations, and ego, and instead focus on self-compassion and presence.

Yoga is about being in the process rather than achieving a goal, and that’s why the idea of being "good at yoga" doesn’t align with its deeper philosophy.

So let go of your limiting belief that you have to be "good" at yoga in order to practice it, roll out your mat and listen deeply to what your body is crying out for!
Namaste
xxx

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