Sometimes you need to be seen
- Jan 13, 2019
- 2 min read
It’s not news that I struggle with practising alone. I love the shared energy of a self-practice class. And I love being adjusted and assisted. I’m a member of a Facebook group for people who practice at home and I am full of admiration for them. Many never or very rarely have the chance to go to a shala and still maintain a six-day-a-week practice. I am in awe.
I am very fortunate in that I can regularly go to classes with brilliant teachers but not as often as I would like or need to practice. So it needs to work for me at home.
I have bought different heaters, props and paraphernalia in the hope that it will motivate me. But no luck.
And then I remembered something one of my first and most influential teachers, April Nunes Tucker, said to me. When I first started teaching in a class environment I wanted to adjust every student in every asana. Because I couldn’t I felt like they wouldn’t be getting a good enough experience. ‘Sometimes people just need to be seen,’ said April. ‘They just want to show up and be seen.’
And I realised that the key to my home practice was to be seen. So I have started filming my practice when I’m alone. I don’t intend to share it with anyone or even watch it back. It isn’t perfect but it makes me accountable.
I hope that I will learn to love practising alone as much as I do alongside other yogis. But for now, this way of being seen is what I need for where I am currently on my own yoga journey.
Sometimes you need to be seen yes. As a PhD student who works part-time at Last-Minute Assignments, I spent college feeling invisible, drowning in silence. I was so alone that I'd search for assignment help just to have someone respond to an email. Your post names that ache. Thank you for saying it out loud. Being seen is basic human need, not a luxury. If you're reading this and feel unseen: I see you. Your struggle is real. Your existence matters. Keep going. And thank you for reminding us to look up and actually notice each other. Grateful for this.
The yoga reflection about being seen was very powerful because it talks about acceptance and self-awareness. I once joined a yoga class where I felt nervous at first but gradually became more comfortable. While handling coursework during that period, I searched for assignment writing service to manage deadlines better. Feeling seen and understood can make a big difference in personal growth.