“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man” - Heraclitus (Greek philosopher)

Jo Comes Twice 😉

I hope Jo won’t mind me mentioning her in today’s newsletter. Jo is the only person I teach twice weekly—in person and online. Both classes are essentially the same, based on the same poses and theme for the week.

Sometimes, I wonder why she would come twice to the exact same class with the exact same sequence. Same poses, same cues, same teacher (unfortunately, same jokes) —so same, so similar.

I should know, though, that repetition is at the heart of practice; coming twice offers an opportunity. We return to the same poses time and again and continue to seek them out. I wonder how many downward dogs I’ve done thus far, yet I still return gleefully to that pose every time? I’ve watched recordings and scribbled notes to enjoy my favourite sequences repeatedly. And sometimes, all I crave is a time-honoured sun salutation or repetitive vinyasa - again, again and again.

Eat, Sleep, Dog, Repeat

The most obvious value of repetition is habit, mastery, and comfort. We have a chance to try, hear, and feel something repeatedly, which is a surefire way to build familiarity, confidence, and skill.

But mastery isn’t the only interesting aspect of repetition. Although the poses seem identical on the surface, our experiences can be subtly or radically different each time, continuing to evolve and expand the longer we practise and the more we repeat.

The repertoire of sensation, the variety of places to plant focus, and our changing intentions create endless permutations of experience. Every practice becomes a chance to shift perspectives, blowing the body and mind open in different directions even with the same set of poses. In this way, we can even feel as though we are coming to a pose for the very first time in a way only attentive presence can do.

Considering the number of repetitions in our practice, I don’t think we can ever get bored. (And if boredom does arise in yoga, we find that interesting, too!)

Landing Differently

How we individually arrive to meet the practice is more interesting still. For isn’t the person who seeks the mat slightly different every time and also evolving with each practice?

Who shows up to do these poses each day, week, and year? Did we arrive one day looking for comfort and another for challenge? Are we dealing with injury one day and stress another? Did we sleep well or not so much? Have we been practising consistently or returning after a long break?

Since we are as alive and dynamic as any posture, every time we enter that familiarity for something that feels like the millionth time, it’s never ever quite the same.

Have you noticed? Downward Dog, Tadasana, Savasana. As we repeat, how radical or subtle are the differences in each breath, pose, and you?

Let’s practise.