Walking home from the studio recently, I experienced one of Albuquerque’s early signs of autumn’s approach–green chilies roasting.

I LOVE that unmistakably sweet and pungent, slightly burnt aroma that wafts through the air on most fall days.

The other harbingers of fall to note–balloons polka dotting the early morning sky and cottonwood trees showing a golden hue.

Even in the weeks before the fall equinox, it was clear that there was nothing black and white about nature’s time frame. Instead, she shows her range of color in the unfolding process of transition, and in this case, the move towards harvest and the dissolution of that bounty.

Too often I unknowingly speak of my yoga practice in black and white terms. I may say, my hips are not open, or, I’m not strong enough to do this arm balance, or, I’m going to balance in handstand by the end of the year.

Or go the other way–since I balanced today in my handstand, there’s a little part of my mind that thinks that every time I go up, I’ll stick it, when really, sticking it can be elusive at times. Does the river always take the same course? Mostly, yes. But in the big picture, there are diversions.

But what if I worked in the grey area of my practice instead of making the boundary my truth? Just maybe my motivation would shift from making a pose by a certain date, to loving the wonder and mystery of how my body opens and changes according to the quality of my desire, my willingness to stay open, and to the God given nature of my anatomy.

Here’s my truth–I have only gotten stronger and more open in my practice, and am continually amazed by what I can do, and, I have never achieved a pose by a date that I’ve given myself.

When my practice works for me, I am aligned with the greater flow. And the other way–

when I take my cues from nature, my practice knows no boundaries or dates.

What is your truth?

Bea is a dreamer with her feet on the ground.  She is the founder of Bhava Yoga Studio in Albuquerque, NM and the creator of Dynamic Yoga Therapeutics™.  Her blog is about living yoga, but ultimately it’s about love. To read more of Bea’s work, click here.