It is nearly impossible to go to the gym without feeling an air of competition coming from fellow members, and perhaps yourself. Of course, we should not reprimand ourselves if we have a desire to accomplish more with our personal fitness. This edge of competition can be healthy and can help us drive ourselves to our goals. But, what happens when we let ourselves become consumed by competition with others, thereby sinking more on the side of comparing ourselves with people around us? The two, competition and comparison, eventually become synonymous. Strangely, yoga, which does not have any organization which can give you an award, or have anything resembling a team which can play against another, can end up being an internal competition for ourselves.
Even in a yoga class, which strives to strengthen the person on the inside as well as the outside, you may find yourself watching other students or analyzing your instructor limb by limb. As a student turned instructor, I have caught myself doing both time and time again. Knowing that I have fallen into baser instincts while practicing yoga is the stepping stone to making a change. When I catch myself seeking recognition for accomplishments or wishing I had tighter thighs or smaller hips, I guide myself back to my mat.
So, why is it important to be non-competitive during our yoga practice? For one thing, we accomplish less when we spend too much time wishing we were something else. The thinking and wishing take away from the process itself. If we stay in the moment, we more effectively work toward our personal goals. For example, if during a Warrior 1, I am looking at the student in front of me and thinking about how much deeper their stride is than my own, or how their legs look more toned than mine, then I am not focusing on the very muscles I need to be working.
Whether we find ourselves wishing we had something more or something less, or wishing that we were the most flexible student in our yoga class, we can always accomplish more by taking our focus back to our breath and the sensations we are feeling in each moment. A certain amount of comparison is required to work toward more perfect expressions of a pose, but this should keep us inspired, rather than dejected. Remember that it is natural to feel competitive and to compare ourselves to those around us, but we should let those feelings roll off of our backs more often so we can enjoy the moments of our yoga journey more fully.