I'm well into five days of dialed back intensity in my personal practice. I've been nursing a sore elbow and have adopted a restorative practice as my primary means of moving through the poses. It's been amazing.
Time on the mat is time on the mat. I have a notion that a full hour of savasana would count as a yoga practice. It would be a difficult one at that.
I've been moving through restorative, yin like, poses for the past several days. It's calming. It's helpful in so many ways.
I have noticed that instead of "avoiding" the arm weight poses, I've been choosing warrior poses and restorative poses instead. I've not noticed a lack of yoga joy. I've actually noticed an increase in joyful anticipation. I was starting to dread early morning yoga due to the pain. That was ego.
Once I let go of the idea that I had to attend a studio class and push my way through an "advanced" series, I found that I was excited to take the time to move through the poses. I've found joy. I've increased joy.
I'll move, gently, back into my regular practice in due time. I will likely be a little more mindful of the stress and strain on the body with every damn day advanced classes. I'll try to work in three to four advanced classes and dial it back to a more sustainable practice in general.
We'll see. For now, I'm loving the chill practice.