Twisting Your Outcomes
In a recent class on twists with Aadil Palkhivala, we repeated Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) numerous times on each side. I secretly hoped the fourth repetition would be our final. Apparently I was not alone; when Aadil requested we do it again, some members of the class grimaced.
Aadil responded with a twinkle in his eye, as he cautioned against the mistaken interpretation of pleasure as pain. Letting the message sink in, I approached the next repetition of the twist with the anticipation of pleasure, rather than pain, and indeed found myself going deeper into the twist and deeper into my enjoyment of it.

This week, notice the areas of your practice—and your life—that you approach with trepidation, or even anticipation of pain. If the way you keep your mind determines the way you experience the world, could you be twisting your outcomes with these projections? As an experiment, devote one practice session to your most challenging pose, and infuse your efforts with the Shiva-like quality of chidananda—supreme bliss that is self-aware. If you have any trouble maintaining your good humor, take Sally Kempton's advice and fake it till you make it. from yoga journal
mike