Finding Our Edge: Balancing Curiosity and Determination in Yoga and Life May 31 2026

Have you been in a yoga class where the instructor suggests that you find your edge? I find myself saying it sometimes and have recently given that some thought.  While we often discuss that yoga should not hurt, that it is not a competition, and that you should meet yourself where you are, I find that not always received. In my early years of practicing, I attended yoga classes despite the title of “all levels”, felt more like a gymnastic competition or the instructor’s yoga show.  It always made me feel a bit bad.

I have come to understand that when a teacher (me included) says “take this variation if it’s in your practice, it can feel intimidating to those who do not. When I first started taking yoga class, it was with trepidation and feelings of anxiety, which is of course the antithesis of why one should begin a practice. Like many beginners I thought, I am not flexible enough, I don’t have the right outfits, I am too old to start. As I continued my practice, I found studios and instructors that were welcoming and supportive. Later, when I embarked on my own training and ultimately my little studio, some of those same yogis became my mentors and then colleagues ultimately forming a true community. When I started my studio, it was with the intent that all would feel welcome from the moment they stepped inside. We would encourage new students, especially those that have never tried it, to join this incredible yogic journey.

So, back to finding “our edge”.  Recently I have been making time for my own practice and noticed that I was a bit rote in my poses. Focusing on this, I started taking a few risks, encouraging myself to try some variations that I did not try in a long time. It was not pretty, I was uncomfortable, fell over and laughed a lot.  What I did notice, however, was that I started to grow in my practice and regained some moves that I thought I had lost. Full disclosure, this does not include wheel pose which I have never really been able to do. Remember, sense of humor! I found that pushing myself to focus while reaching to my “edge”, made me feel more confident, helped me to feel stronger and made me smile a bit. When we approach this “edge” with efforts rooted in curiosity and patience we are calmly exploring what is possible.  We do not want to cross over into over pushing to injury or negative feelings. 

This concept of edge finding has real correlation off the mat as well. When we try things that make us a bit uncomfortable, we may find that while not always successful, we feel satisfaction from the effort and the glimmer of progress. Taking on new challenges in small increments is a solid approach. Want to get more involved in your community? Instead of signing up to be on a committee, why not volunteer at a local soup kitchen, beach clean-up, shred day. Start small. Find what interests you and build upon it. Want to up your reading game? Instead of only choosing your favorite mysteries, biographies or romance novels, perhaps start interspersing those with a classic.  Finding our edge can be synonymous with expanding our horizons, and is achieved with safe, controlled expansion. It should not be confused with hurting ourselves or making ourselves feel bad about oneself.  Finding your "edge" leads to growth, while crossing the line into self-harm leads to burnout, injury, or trauma. If we ever feel like our pursuit of growth begins to impact us negatively stepping back is the most healthy and productive thing we can do.

Approached positively with curiosity and patience “finding our edge” can bring us joy on and off the mat.

Our Practice – Finding Our Edge

Finding Our Edge In Dancer!

In our practice this week we will not focus on a specific pose but instead as we move through our practice let’s push ourselves to take a little risk, maintain humor and see where our journey can lead.

Meditating on Finding Our Edge

“I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center." — Kurt Vonnegut

"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." — William Faulkner

"Do one thing every day that scares you." — Eleanor Roosevelt

See you on the mat!

Namaste,

Julia Anne