Start Where You Are and Stay There

Again, we look to chapter four, Finding the Ah Ha! in Hatha--Principles, Hints, and Insights into Yoga Practice from Ganga's Yoga Beyond Belief.  This section is entitled:  Presence: Start Where You Are. The opening section helps set a context for the entire Ah Ha chapter and the excerpt we chose is from the final paragraph of this section.  Additionally, the saying that inspires this section is the perfect koan from which to ponder your balancing poses.

"Can we approach yoga in a way that is free of time constraints and free from unproductive pressures we impose upon ourselves? Consider the old saying, "Start where you are and stay there." Pondering the wisdom of this apparent paradox reveals the importance of keeping our attention on the moment and not only on our goals. It reveals the need to be present.  Starting where you are implies tuning into your body and accepting and moving from your present state. Staying where you are implies keeping the attention in your asanas on your actual abilities in each moment of your practice."