Repeat these two facets for more success in your yoga practice.
When you first read the title of this article you were probably thinking; inversions such as sirsasana (supported head stand), they’re hard! Or arm balances such as bakasana (crane pose) or harder yet, parsva bakasana (side crane pose), they’re hard because you need to have strong arms, or any of the multitude of other postures that you may regularly have difficulty performing.
But no. The hardest part, and I tell my students this, is getting to your mat. Translation, commitment. I thank them and congratulate them for having come to class and making it to their mat. No matter what your day or morning was like you need to make it back to your mat. You could have a headache or feeling a bit run down from a cold. It doesn’t matter what you experience prior to getting on your mat. The point is to make it to your mat. Once you get there the rest is easy. Remember, yoga takes time and commitment. It’s much like learning to play an instrument such as the piano or guitar, the more you practice the better you get. It teaches you to be patient with yourself so that you can be patient with others.
The second hardest part is at the start of the practice. After you get to your mat. Sitting quietly. No movement, no thoughts. Observing your breath (pranayama). Withdrawing all your senses (pratyahara). This allows you to quiet the mind so that you can begin concentration (dharana) which will lead to meditation (dhyana).
Conclusion: get to your mat no matter what, sit quietly connecting to your breath in preparation for your practice.