So you've polished the silver, cleaned the martini glasses, washed the ashtrays, and readied the percolator. (Hmm. Your 2010 party checklist may read a little differently.) At any rate, you've done all you can in advance to make your event a success. Nothing left to do but sit back, relax with your guests and a daiquiri, and have a great time yourself.....right?But there's that old nagging itch that screams to be attended to. A soft (yet slightly accusatory) voice in your head, suggesting you could have done more. And had you done more, the voice gently, but all-knowingly reminds you, The Land of Event Nirvana might finally have greeted you and welcomed you to the club of Party Perfection. The evening ends, your guests leave. You survey the room. By all indications, a party took place. Only you're not sure you were in attendance.
The next day, (or once sufficiently recovered) you find yourself in yoga class. You've spent an hour gently prepping and prodding your body, moving toward Virabhadrasana (Warrior) 1. You've worked in various postures on lengthening the psoas muscles, experienced the action of the tailbone descending, and brought both hips to square, facing forward. You're good to go.....right? But there's that old nagging itch screaming to be attended to. You just know that all the pieces are supposed to come together now, and yours aren't going to. Your hips are not going to square completely to the front. Your pelvic bowl will spill forward, dumping the imaginary soup you are clutching to keep upright. You'll push, pull, clench, and exert every cell in your body, but the doors to the Club of Perfection will not be opening for you today.
So what's a party-giver/yoga student to do? Maybe it's time to let go of the idea of perfection. You've done all you can to get ready. You've gotten as much length as is available to you today out of the front of your body. With careful attention, your back hip will turn to face forward to the best of its present ability. Maybe it's possible to explore and work the pose now in the spirit of self-knowledge instead of the attainment of perfection. This is who you are today, so why not come to your own party, be present, and enjoy?
