Limits

The following is not actually about yoga. I realize that those who haven't joined the craze are tired of hearing about yoga, so I need to extend this pre-apology. Years ago, long before yoga was a craze, I seemed eccentric for talking about yoga...and now I seem trendy, or even passé, for talking about yoga. I have not yet found my sweet spot in human society. But, again, this article is only ostensibly about yoga. So if you're yoga averse, please read anyway. Thanks for pre-reading.


In the style of yoga I practice, doing a handstand without the support of a wall is considered very difficult. I've been practicing for 30 years, and only two of my toes actually touch the wall, but if I push off, I get very teetery and soon fall over.

There's a different school of yoga where handstand without a wall is considered easy...so even beginners manage it with no problem!


My style of yoga once taught that headstand (not handstand) without a wall was easy. And so I've always found it easy. In the past few years, however, they've started teaching that it's hard, so very few experienced students can do it. People marvel at my wall-less headstand ability!

None of this makes sense to most people. It's incompatible with how we model human learning to work. But this is absolutely how it works.

It makes sense to me, though. This long ago become my model, and it feels natural and even intuitive. Yet, even so, I absolutely can't hold a handstand without a wall. Mentally understanding it all doesn't change a thing.