Is it time to be vulnerable with yourself?

Let's find the courage to drop our walls

My physiotherapist once told me, "Yoga is one of those practices that really forces you to look at yourself and witness your flaws." We continued talking, and he explained that when someone does weight training, it’s easy to hide an injury by substituting movements or overcompensating in other areas. But in certain yoga practices, like Ashtanga, there is no room to hide. You can’t cheat your way through it. Yoga shows you all of yourself, the good and the bad. And sometimes, that can be uncomfortable.

In a world that praises strength, the idea of being vulnerable can easily feel uncomfortable. If anyone asked me to show my own vulnerabilities, I’d feel my skin crawl and be very confused. I’m probably not the only one. But what if the path to self-awareness starts with tearing down the walls we’ve built around ourselves? What if the way to heal and grow involves being vulnerable with ourselves?

What do your walls look like? What have you built up over time to protect yourself from?

With the time it took to build mine, I’d say they became pretty decorated and worked. Maybe I built a labyrinthian house like the one Susanna Clarke wrote about, inspired by Piranesi.

The Appian Way (c. 1756–57) — Giovanni Battista Piranesi via Artvee

I’m one of those people who will stand in the middle of a crowd and scream "yoga is for everyone." I truly believe it. Yoga isn’t about doing fancy inversions or being as flexible as an eel so you can get into extreme poses. It’s about unifying (yoga=yoke) with your inner self. Originally yoga wasn’t even about the physical postures. It was just meditation, a way of connecting with the mind and soul.

Yoga shows us all of ourselves, and sometimes that can feel vulnerable.

I have a student who has blood pressure and retinal conditions. When she came to class for the first time, she told me that she had practiced yoga 2 decades ago but hadn’t exercised at all since then. At the end of the class, she told me very honestly that she didn’t enjoy it (being used to children’s bluntness I did not take it personally). I asked her what the issue was and she explained that the session made her realise how much her health problems had impacted her body and mind. She had been aware of it, but it was easy to ignore and hide the truth whilst sitting at her work-desk every day. However, she was proud of herself for coming to class (as was I) and for facing her own fears. The fear of disappointing herself, the fear of her own expectations, of having a hard time in public.

This was a vulnerable moment for her. Yoga had shown her the truth of her situation. It forced her to see her body and mind for what they were at that moment. But instead of running away from the discomfort, she faced it head-on. She embraced her vulnerability, and that is an act of courage.

Yoga has shown me so much, both the good and the bad (although I’d say I’m pretty grey myself, I’ve never been black & white). It has taught me to love my injuries, to appreciate what my body can do, and to be content with the fact that there are things I might never be able to do. And that’s okay too.

Somedays that love comes easy, other days it feels as if I need to slap myself with it. I do find that loving my hip and its inflexibility and pain comes a little bit harder than loving my strength.

Yoga is quiet, dedicated and self reflective.

It’s not a race, even though many influencers on Instagram might make it seem that way. It’s not about reaching some distant goal or achieving a perfect posture. Yoga is about being present with yourself, accepting who you are right now. It’s a meditation, whether you’re sitting, standing, or lying down.

Being vulnerable with yourself on the mat takes courage. It means accepting that you won’t always be able to do everything perfectly or "reach" every posture. It means acknowledging that some days, your body might not feel as strong or as flexible as it did the day before. Yoga asks us to meet ourselves where we are, without judgment.

Sometimes this vulnerability can be freeing. Shifting the focus from achieving so-called goals to simply embracing who we are. It’s about showing ourselves compassion and understanding, on both good and bad days. But even on the tough days we learn something. If we listen, we find that we are always learning something new.

Vulnerability in yoga is not just about our physical body. It also extends to our emotional and mental state. Many people find that yoga helps them remove the ever-so-present veiled layers of self-doubt and hidden emotions that have been buried deep within. These hidden feelings sometimes emerge during our practice, catching us off guard. However, yoga doesn’t ask us to avoid them, but it gives us the space to sit with those feelings. Acknowledging and letting them pass.

Injuries, whether physical or emotional, are a natural part of life. We all carry some form of injury, even if it’s not visible to the rest of the world. It’s easy to cover up our wounds with distractions or a busy lifestyle, but yoga invites us to face them. With each deep breath, we create space for ourselves. One breath at a time.

Standing strong is an amazing quality to have, but sometimes we need the vulnerability to face our injuries. It is through this vulnerability that we grow. We find the courage to embrace our own imperfections and our past experiences, knowing they are part of our unique journeys. Being vulnerable with ourselves is not a sign of weakness but of strength!

Is it time to be vulnerable with yourself?

Are you ready to show yourself the compassion and understanding you deserve?

This image felt fitting, let’s watch the sun rise in our consciousness