Last week in the cabin, we focused on balance — and, as always, it led us somewhere much deeper than just standing on one leg.
Balance and core go hand in hand. Physically, of course, the core supports us, stabilises us and helps us stay upright. But in yoga, the idea of a “core” goes beyond muscles. It’s about our centre — the place where breath, body and mind connect. And this is exactly where balance becomes interesting… because it’s also where we tend to be hardest on ourselves.
Balance is one of those areas in yoga where self-criticism shows up quickly. The moment we wobble or fall out of a pose, the mind jumps in with its running commentary: “I can’t do this,” “I’m rubbish at this,” “Everyone else is better than me.” Maybe it’s because it feels visible – people can see when we lose balance, so it somehow feels like failure.
But that’s also the moment we lose sight of what yoga is really about. Because yoga isn’t about the shape. It’s not about whether you can hold Tree Pose perfectly still, or lift your leg high in Warrior 3. It’s about what’s happening internally — your awareness, your breath and your ability to stay present.
So if you’re in Tree Pose, forcing your foot into your thigh while your mind is racing and your body is tense, are you really practising yoga? Or are you just trying not to fall over? Sometimes it can feel a bit like we’re performing — trying to match an image of what we think yoga should look like – like the versions we see on social media. But real yoga doesn’t always look like that. Sometimes it looks like wobbling. Sometimes it looks like starting again. And sometimes it looks like keeping your toes exactly where they are — lightly resting on the mat — because that’s what allows your mind to settle.
What we explored in the cabin last week…
In Tree Pose, we kept things simple. Toes of the lifted foot stayed on the ground, just gently “kissing” the mat, and hands rested at the heart. Not because we couldn’t go further, but because we didn’t need to. The focus was on steadiness, not appearance.
In Warrior 3, we kept the back toes on the floor for support. And interestingly, nothing was “lost” by doing that. The standing leg still worked, the hips were still engaged the spine still lengthened. The effort was still there — just without the added struggle.
And in Half Moon, we used a block and kept the top hand on the hip, giving ourselves a stable base to work from. The back foot could stay grounded, or lift if it felt steady — and if it didn’t, it came straight back down. No judgement, no frustration just a quiet adjustment.
What we found is that when we stopped chasing the supposedly ‘perfect pose’ we could actually move closer to the heart of the practice. Because balance isn’t about striving for a polished version of the posture, it’s about noticing what’s happening where you are and responding to that. Can you soften instead of criticise? Can you breathe instead of brace?
That’s the real work.
So next time you find yourself wobbling, see if you can pause before the mind jumps in. Let your toes touch the floor if they need to. Let the pose be smaller, simpler, steadier. You might find that in doing less, you actually feel more.
And in that moment — when your breath is steady, your mind is quiet and you’re fully present — that’s where you’ll find the yoga 🥰
Michelle x
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