Return of Forearm Pain & still some lower back discomfort...

Yesterday and today, only did Half Primary because pain is returning. Two days ago, I felt more pain in my lower back, especially in Urdhva Dhanurasana. So yesterday I did a shorter practice, and only 3 Urdhva's from the floor instead of my usual 13-backbend routine at the end of practice. Yesterday I also began feeling a lot of discomfort in my arms again, specifically the right one. I have been super mindful about proper distribution of weight in my hands during Upward-Facing Dog, as well as jumping forward and jumping back from standing. However, because I still don't quite have the pick-up-and-jump-back (from seated), I am totally off on that. I have been reverting to old habits, collapsing to the outer-edge or pinky-finger side of the hand during the pick up. I lose connection to the base of the index finger all-together at times and that is what is producing this intense pain along the outer forearm or the ulna bone.

Today, I was more careful. Lower back felt better, as I took forehead down instead of chin down in all my folds. Also, no pain in Urdhva today, so I walked in to deepen in a little bit. As far as my arms, I really pressed into the area between the index and the thumb and felt a new level of activation in what I believe are my pectoral muscles. That pick up is so hard for me. I get myself up and feet through, but as soon as I start to lean forward with the head and shoulders before bending the elbows, my feet will just come crashing down to the ground. Getting that done properly is really key for alleviation of my ulna pain and also my lower back, I think. It may seem unrelated, but my theory on my lower back is that it is largely influenced by the imbalance within my hip joints. The ligaments of my hips have always been very loose and the external rotation that is possible there seems rather abnormal to me. I am convinced this has caused a lot of imbalance in the sacroiliac joint. The backbends also hurt my lower back before I knew what I was doing too, but I think that pulling-the-knees-into-the-chest "pick up" movement is so integral for me to strengthen the abdominal-pelvic region.

So I found this video today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5FlG9OMkZk&list=UUH-81uaxCwAAaSgxRtxMkxg&index=3&feature=plcp. Thinking I should integrate this into my daily practice...

Progress

The remainder of last week was exceptional. However, I only did Full Primary Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday were shorter practices, Saturday I went to a class, Sunday I took off because I practiced Saturday. My back felt better than is has pre-Miami.

Yesterday and today, practiced Full Primary on my own. Some pain in seated forward folds, especially Janushirsasanas, Marichyasana A (second side with left knee up brings pain to lower back on right side). Today some pain in Urdhva Dhanurasanas for first time in a long time, but no pain in Upward-Facing Dogs.

Practice, practice...

More work in Primary Series...

Today's practice was the best I have had in a long time. My back has been considerably better since Monday. It's beautiful! So grateful. It is not as though the discomfort has disappeared completely, but the immense relief has provided me with renewed faith.

Still maintaining Primary Series and the work that ensues there, as well as adjusting my entries into and exits out of spinal flexion specifically.

Perhaps more on this later...

A very long post about my journey Back to Full Primary

I want to preface this entry with this truth: Up until recently, I had been trying to maintain what I consider to be a very advanced practice on a daily basis. After my trip to Miami, my practice was loaded, because of the introduction of 11 new postures in only 8 days of Mysore practice. Strange shifts occurred in me and around me since Miami and I began experiencing what I think all practitioners must feel at some time: moments of frustration, moments of disillusionment, and moments where my practice (and life, at times!) felt completely shrouded in confusion.

However, because of the faith I want to have in the Ashtanga Yoga lineage and because of the guidance I received from every teacher I had practiced with in the past two months, I attempted to integrate the Second Series postures into my daily practice, adding one back each week so as not to kill myself with a practice too long and too advanced for my condition, capacity, and attention. I attempted to use the back-bends as therapy for my lower back and to ease up on my forward folds. I tried this honestly for about six weeks, under the tutelage of I believe five different teachers, who had similar but not identical suggestions about my practice.

I didn't make the decision to "give back" the Second Series poses until a conversation I had with one instructor who urged me to stick with one teacher, adding "even if that teacher is your own intuition right now." She placed an emphasis on a commitment to one thing, because she sensed how uncertain I was with how to proceed.

It was a desire to be guided by a teacher that prompted me to sustain the Second Series postures to begin with, not really my own belief that I was prepared for those postures and what they meant for my body and the energetic shifts in me. I wanted very much to trust the teachings that were being offered to me by many knowledgeable and dedicated individuals. These teachers unanimously urged me to continue into Second Series despite or because of my injuries. One teacher stated that stopping at Shalabhasana was a safe place; one thought to go on to Dhanurasana; two teachers suggested to work to Ustrasana; one recommended stabilizing at Kapotasana. All of this seemed horrifyingly daunting and impossible to me...

Let it be said here that I understand the value of having a teacher. A true teacher pushes you where you will not go on your own, pointing out subtleties and nuances about your practice that you very well may not detect on your own. A teacher will indeed present "horrifyingly daunting" work for you to do, because this is how transformation can occur. (So when I say proceeding through Second Series is "horrifyingly daunting," I mean that in a totally different way than the work I have to do in Primary (which is daunting, but not impossible): picking up and jumping back without floor contact, refining Garbha Pindasana, keeping weight properly distributed in my hands to avoid arm pain returning, and building strength in Sirsasana and Uplitihi.) I believe in this process of transformation deep within me: in my bone, and in my blood. I can feel when I am being confronted with a person -- formal teacher or not -- who is challenging me, my truths, my beliefs, and my knowledge to such an extent that it instigates change. I believe in that change, that transformation, the potential growth that can ensue as a result of that.

I also find myself at a place in my practice where I trust myself more than ever before. This trust I have in myself conflicts, at times, with the recommendations of other teachers. Which brings me to this: When what I know and feel to be true and right for me is not echoed by the teacher before me, I am no longer willing to sacrifice that merely because I think I ought to embrace the teachings of that individual unquestioningly -- no matter how thick and dense that desire to accept the teachings may be. I have found that what is right for you is not always what you desire; what you desire is not always what is right for you. Also that what is right for you may not be what other people believe is right for you, however frustrating this may be.

For these reasons, right now, I am taking a more independent approach to my practice. I have a newly-cultivated greater level of trust and respect for myself, my intuition, my sense of what is right; and at this precise moment (given what has been going on with my body and in my life), I have not gotten a sense of being guided in the direction that is right for me by the teachers I have practiced with at this moment in time, specifically in relationship to "doing more" or "doing less" in my asana practice.

I do not recall any of the teachers I have had in these two months advising me to do less. This fact, coupled with the profound back pain, has sadly led to a little lack of faith and trust, making the task of "going forward" with my practice a difficult and harrowing one, and making my practice feel surrounded in uncertainty.

This suspicion that I have had all along that I ought to be "doing less" has haunted me, but I had tried to stifle it out of respect for teachers and my understanding of the Ashtanga Yoga practice.

I believe strongly in the power of "Yoga Chikitsa" (which means "Yoga Therapy") of Primary Series, and what this can do for me (or any practitioner). My understanding of the energetic shifts that go on in Second Series ("Nadi Shodana") -- which is about cleansing the system that has presumably been healed by Yoga Therapy of Primary Series -- seems inappropriate to me, given my condition. I believe that practicing Primary Series with discipline, focus, and honor for myself and for the system of Ashtanga Yoga on a daily basis has to potential to "heal" me; that is, to transform me and my back. For this reason, I have wanted very badly to stick with the practice. However, another part of me has wondered if it is the practice that is aggravating my back, and if what I needed, in fact, is rest.

This is what influenced my decision to take an extended Ladies Holiday (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday) and to come back slowly and on my own. First day back on Tuesday, I only did Surya Namaskara A and B, really focusing on spinal flexion and my transition into Virabhadrasana A, as right foot forward has been causing pain in my lower back. Wednesday, I woke at 2:36 AM, rather alert and conscious, for some reason. I practiced at 3 AM, this time up to the Six Fundamentals. Again, trying to remain very focused on transitions, maintaining bandhas during transitions. That makes a difference. Less pain with more awareness of bandhas; however, I did not go as deep into my forward folds as I was before. Thursday, I went up to Paschimattanasana as I wanted to see how seated spinal flexion would feel after working with slower, more controlled, focused movement the last couple of days. OK. Deepening my Paschimattanasana kind of hurt, coming out of it hurt. Friday I did Half Primary. A bit of discomfort this day, especially going into and coming out of forward folds. Certainly, the longer the practice is, the more challenging it becomes for me to maintain a sense of awareness of bandhas and mindful movements during the entire practice.

I think practicing alone was necessary for me. I think "doing less" was necessary for me, both in giving myself those days off and in committing to only practice Primary Series. I have just realized, I have been in no condition to receive adjustments or instruction with my back the way it is and my confusion and despair over it. I find it easier to stay focused on what I know I need to be focusing on when I don't have a teacher throwing all kinds of other things at me to work on. It has begun feeling like every teacher has a new suggestion. This can be quite exciting and inspirational and transformative... when you are in the right place. However, as a practitioner who takes everything quite seriously and attempts to give proper credit where due, simultaneously experiencing injury, this can become overwhelming. Unfortunately, my availability to yield these suggestions slowly dwindled as my back grew more and more uncomfortable. Also unfortunately: physical adjustments have been quite uncomfortable lately. This is why, I believe, at times, it is appropriate to practice independently.

Saturday was off as usual. Sunday I took off for New Moon. (There seemed to be some disagreement about which was Moon Day here in New York, Saturday or Sunday? I don't know. The rest I took during Ladies Holiday was helpful for my back I think, so I figured another day would be good for me.) That brings me to today.

When I woke this morning, I decided to try practicing with a teacher, despite my overwhelmed state. I do believe alternate perspectives are useful, when we are in a position to receive. I can be in that position, taking what feels right to me, but leaving what does not feel right. I figured I would tell her all about what has been going on with me and what I feel is most important for my practice right now.

I believe it was the right choice. She had a number of suggestions that made sense to me. She pointed out a few small, subtle things I do in my practice that I have otherwise been unaware of, but could be causing imbalance. Such as: allowing my lumbar spine to extend a little too much in Chaturanga; rolling over one foot before the other in transition from Chaturanga to Upward-Facing Dog and Upward-Facing Dog to Downward-Facing Dog; bringing my chin directly to my shin in all seated forward-bending postures -- she said Nancy Gilgoff recommends bringing forehead to knees first and then sliding the chin forward to extend the spine and deepen the forward fold. Had never heard that one before, but she says it could help as it puts a little less strain on the back. This is a constructive suggestion, I think.

Then it occurred to me. Garbha Pindasana. The rolling around in a circle is something I still have not quite gotten. I have received some tips from one or two teachers, but it is something that most teachers I have practiced under just don't give me much instruction for. There is something very obviously not right about what I am doing there. Firstly, I have not been able to do it in only 9 movements. I usually end up with 12 or 13 or 14. Secondly, in the week or two before Ladies Holiday, I was having immense pain in my low back during that rocking and rolling. I know I am not rolling on the right area in my back, because it usually hits me right on my spine. Dhruva says to rock back to the left of your spine, roll up to the right of your spine. I had experienced this a few times and THAT feels right. I can't always quite find it though... what to engage, what not to engage, in order to make that happen. Well, today, when I was rocking and rolling, my first few were rough and then I reminded myself to slow down, find that area to the left of my spine in the way down and try to hit that area to the right of my spine on the way up. That felt much better. I think incorrect alignment in Garbha Pindasana has definitely contributed to this lumbar/sacral imbalance.

Another thing I have been playing around with changing is my exit from forward folds. A long time ago, I used to come up with the lumbar lordosis still in tact. I stopped doing that March 2011 because I took a workshop with Greg Nardi in which he discussed allowing the sits-bones to curl under as you rise up from a forward fold, so that the hamstrings carry you up instead of using lower back muscles. I thought this must be part of the reason I had developed the pain in my lower back, so I changed it. Now, I am finding the opposite to be less painful for me. I am keeping the extension in my lumbar spine so my pelvis is in a more anterior tilt as I rise up and it feels better than letting sits-bones tuck under to rise up, bringing pelvis into a more posterior tilt. These things always change, who knows.

In any event, during my practice today, I had some pain, but it was the best I have felt in a long time... I felt proud at the end of my practice. Like something a little different happened today.

Ladies Holiday

Ladies Holiday today. Yesterday was Saturday. Ladies Holiday on Friday. I will likely take Holiday tomorrow as well. It is necessary. I obviously need rest. Danielle tells me tonight that I look pale. I tell her it's probably because my body is depleted as it sheds so much.

I am interested to see how my lower back feels after four days of not practicing. I have not taken this long without practice ever since I began daily Mysore in March.

Right now, just from sitting and standing, and daily motions, I can feel my back is still tender and aggravated. It does not appreciate spinal flexion at all.

Early Rise

I need to start waking up earlier. My body moves with so much more freedom and fluidity if I am awake for an hour or so before practicing.

Before Mysore-style Ashtanga, I used to sleep later in general and practiced later in the day, sometimes at night. Quite frankly, I can't even imagine that now. It's interesting how we evolve.

Giving Back Second Series

Morning me is clear and resilient, however, stiff and awkward throughout Surya Namaskara A. I only practice Full Primary Series today. I decided last night I am finished with this reckless attempt at Second Series -- even though many teachers and practitioners seem to believe I am prepared to begin Second Series. It is not that I cannot do the postures, or that I believe I cannot integrate them into daily practice. It is that I don't believe five months of Daily Mysore practice is sufficient. And more importantly, it is this: I still need healing. Yoga Chikitsa. My arms still battle me in every Upward Facing Dog, lift-up, jump back, jump through, and my lower back felt like it was being crunched in every back bend I took for the better part of the month of July and beginning in August, now feels like it is ripping in every forward bend. I have no business "cleansing the channels" when there is still so much physical and emotional baggage clogging and clotting my system.

2-Week Intensive with Kino MacGregor & Tim Feldmann at Miami Life Center

Somewhat impulsively, I registered for a 2-week Ashtanga Intensive with Kino MacGregor and Tim Feldmann at their place, Miami Life Center, in South Beach, Miami, Florida.

More on this to come...

Mysore-Style Ashtanga

Tomorrow begins a 2-week workshop of Mysore-style Ashtanga at Mindful Turtle Yoga & Wellness. I have anxiously been anticipating this since I learned of it. I think it is exactly what I need. Structure, consistency, daily practice, a teacher who will challenge me. One thing I have struggled with for quite some time is that when I attend group classes, teachers often do not correct me, assist me, or provide any kind of adjustment -- verbal or physical. I am uncertain as to whether it is because people assume I know everything as a teacher, or that I cannot benefit from feedback, or if the teacher simply does not know what to do with me in order to challenge me. But, I know I have work to do. Everybody does. I am forever a student.

The other thing that happens sometimes when you begin teaching is that your personal practice suffers. The times you would typically go to take a group class are now occupied by teaching instead. This leaves you to your own devices, self-practice at home, which is valuable at times, but allows you to develop destructive habits and doesn't exactly have the same effect when there is less direction. But, I digress.

Mysore-style Ashtanga. For those readers who do not know what this is... As I understand it, it is self-practice within a group setting, in the presence of a teacher. It is not a typical led class like you might imagine most yoga asana classes. You arrive and practice the set sequence, Primary Series of Ashtanga, or as much of it as you remember, are capable of doing, and are given permission to do by your teacher. I tried this a couple of years ago on a somewhat impulsive trip to Las Palmas, Canary Islands with a friend who is more well-versed in the Ashtanga tradition, Karin. The trip wasn't long enough to even establish much of a rhythm or figure out what exactly I was doing.

I have tried Led Ashtanga classes a number of times, but as I understand it, none that were terribly traditional. The teachers that led these classes mostly allowed us to skip vinyasas, cheat our way through picking up and jumping back, jumping through to sit, and many of the more elusive postures -- Marichyasana D and what follows were left out. I don't really get it... which is why I am happy to be taking this workshop.

Ron Paul & Ahimsa

Ron Paul apparently understands Ahimsa (non-violence):

"One rule you have to follow: and that is, in order to make the world a better place, you have to reject the notion that you use violence and force to do it. You have to do it through persuasion. If we want to change the world, if we want to change the Middle East, if we want to change Africa, you do it by spreading ideas and through persuasion. But the most important thing we do is do our job here, set an example, so others would want to emulate us, and that should be our [goal.]" --Ron Paul

Karma

"How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours." -Wayne Dyer

Not Your Train

"If the train doesn't stop at your station, it's not your train" --Marianne Williamson

Our Deepest Fear

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." --Marianne Williamson

Unity In Diversity

"In essence we are one, but in nonsense we are many. We need essence and nonsense... That is why we are looking for peace. We have had enough of fights and problems. If you realize this, you can begin right in your own home. Love your family, your pets, your plants. Do not treat them as something different from yourself. They all have the same essence, the same spirit. If we want to show the unity in diversity, that is where we can begin. At home, with out pots and pans. You may be angry with your husband or wife, but do not put the pot d own with a bang. Be gentle. See the same spirit in everything. That is unity in diversity. There is nothing without life in this world. Be gentle, be nice, be loving. See your own Self in all and treat everything properly. That is how to show the unity in diversity visibly and powerfully. A real spiritual experience means to see the unity in diversity."

Compassion & Equanimity

I had the lovely opportunity to study with Beryl Bender Birch today at Northport Yoga Center.

Interestingly, during philosophy discussion, she touched upon just the topic I blogged about yesterday (it's funny how that sort of thing always seems to happen, huh? No coincidences!). She warned, be careful about convincing yourself you are spiritually superior. Just because we recycle, this does not make us "better." Everybody is on their own path, and those paths may not run parallel to ours. This does not make them wrong. Not all beings are operating with the same amount of awareness. And "more awareness" is not synonymous with "more advanced." For example, Beryl says, when you are pulled over waiting for somebody to pull out of a parking space and you think it's very clear that is what you are doing, but somebody else comes up and slides right into that parking space before you, try not to get so frustrated questioning loudly "why is this person not as evolved as I am?!?" These experiences are meant to evoke compassion, Beryl teaches. Compassion is spawned by gratitude. Think of how lucky you are to be as aware of yourself, your influence, your surroundings, whereas other people may not be. think of how lucky you are to be you.

So while I might experience anger when I see somebody dumping their fast food garbage out the car window, I don't mean to be judgmental. Because that is not yogic either... spiritual superiority or arrogance doesn't suit anybody well. The paramount purpose of blogs such as the one I wrote yesterday is to make people think, not to insult. But maybe as a result of what I posted, somebody, somewhere, will re-consider a more wholesome approach; by which I mean, a perspective which takes into account an entire community or an entire system, such as the future generations and our planet. In the meantime, all we can do, is cultivate as much compassion as possible for our environment and for its inhabitants, irrespective of their "evolutionary level."

Honoring Your Home, Your Life Source, Your Energy Supply

It is getting to be that time of year again, when people start shoving leaves into oversized plastic bags and placing them at their curbs.

?

I have long since been confused by this practice. Not because I don't understand why this society has pushed keeping our properties so neatly manicured that we cannot bear to look at leaves or twigs or weeds amongst beautiful pesticide-green grass; but rather, because I cannot understand why we have bought what they are selling.

By which I mean, who in our right minds, honestly believes that leaves -- Nature's own dead skin -- belong in plastic bags, stuck at the curb, to be picked up and hauled into a landfill somewhere? How backwards is it to stick something organic in something that is not biodegradable?

Firstly, can it be agreed upon that Mother Nature is just that -- our Mother...? She cares for us, providing us a home, food, and life. Yes?

Secondly, I do not agree that your lawn, or anybody else's, should be cleaned up so obsessively that it is unclear what season we are in. Being Autumn. We act as though we are in denial that we are in fact subject to the cycles and changes and beautiful processes of Nature. If I find this insulting, how do you think Mother Nature feels about it? Besides, being so attached to appearance leads to superficiality and materialism.

And lastly, if we must clear our spaces of NATURAL debris, can we at least see to it that it is placed in something that is also of NATURAL construction, such as, a paper bag, not plastic...?

You may want to know, what has this got to do with yoga? Yoga is about awareness, simply put, for our selves, our community, our environment. And furthermore, yoga is about union, yes? Yoga comes from the root word "yuj," meaning "to yoke, to unite, to join." To join what? To join the individual Self with the universal Self. Well, if you don't agree that Mother Nature is a part of the universal Self, then I don't know what business you have reading this blog post.

"Letting Go of Urgency"

"One thing at a time. That's all we have to do. Not two things at once, but one thing done in peace. One task at a time. One feeling at a time. One day at a time. One problem at a time. One step at a time. One pleasure at a time. Relax. Let go of urgency. Begin calmly now. Take one thing at a time. See how everything works out?" -Melody Beattie


It becomes difficult to take it one thing at a time when you live in a society that emphasizes productivity. Getting things done. We tend to equate self-value with our accomplishments. So many of us fall into the habit of multi-tasking and dividing our attention so that we can "accomplish" more in shorter periods of time, pulling us further and further away from the present moment, further and further away from meditation, further and further away from the experience of yoga. We are always plugged in, always turned on, there are so many distractions. We must slow down though. By slowing down and giving ourselves to pause, reflect, and re-connect, we can come back to the tasks that need to be completed and be more efficient and more effective because we will have calmer, clearer minds.

What is our yoga practice supposed to do for us?

This post was inspired by a lovely conversation I had with two students after class tonight, Katherine and Mark (thank you).

In yoga, we want to take the body and the mind into the opposite place of where we normally take it on a day-to-day unconscious, unmindful basis. We want to break habits and patterns to free up space for potential, for change, for growth. All of life is growth. Don't kid yourself, that is the point.

So, during our practice, we want to try to move slower if we normally move too fast. We want to be more patient if we are normally impatient. We want to be compassionate where we are lacking; we want to soften where we are hard and stiff; we want to strengthen where we are weak and unstable. We want to find a healthy balance where we are working and we are challenged but we are not torturing or overexerting ourselves.

To understand this best, it is useful to understand the yogic idea of the three gunas, or modes of life: rajas, tamas, and sattva. Rajas represents activity and work; tamas is rest and lethargy; and sattva is purity, joy, bliss meditation. We ought to be balancing these modes throughout life, but most of us are dominant in one or the other at certain points. Many of us give little or no time to sattva, to quiet, blissful meditative time spent celebrating life; we move straight from rajas to tamas, often staying geared up in rajas when we are meant to be letting loose in tamas or letting tamas drag its heaviness into our appropriate rajas time. Meaning, we wake up in the morning and instead of taking time in sattva to be grateful for another day and to sit and pray or meditate or sing or do something we genuinely enjoy, we go straight to work, rushing from here to there, getting this and getting that done. Many of us will stay in that mindset even after leaving work, and then we cannot wind down in tamas time and sleep well. Others of us will at times wake up and never actually "wake up," staying in tamas and letting depression, laziness, and lethargy dwell in our bodies all day.

This is relevant because in order to practice yoga in a way that is healthy and beneficial and enjoyable for us, we have to realize what mode we are most dominant in. Physically, most bodies come to yoga for the first time in a tamasic state; few of us will be in a rajasic place. We want to arrive in sattva. However, we must first move to rajas in order to come back to sattva. We have to first wake the body up if it's been tired and unmotivated all this time in tamas; we cannot stay in the hyper, overactive place of rajas though because it is exhausting and can lead to restlessness and injury. So your yoga will feel very difficult at first and you will have to challenge yourself a lot and work what may feel like "too hard" for some time before you can find the peace, quiet, and stillness in your yoga practice.

Why do we practice yoga barefoot?

Every once in a while, when I have a new student practicing with their socks on, I like to let them know that as long as they are comfortable with it, we generally practice yoga completely barefoot.

Why? As a lifelong student myself, I always like to explain why to the best of my ability.

So here it goes...

Firstly, on the grossest level, being barefoot means you can see your feet better. Having socks on, you can see the general shape of the foot, yes, and it is much more intimate than having footwear of some kind on, but you cannot actually see your foot. The feet are very important in yoga, believe it or not. This is the foundation for many of your poses. So, you want to see and feel and understand the foundation in order to build onto that foundation, just like if your were trying to construct a building. What good would it be for you to try to put walls and a roof on something when you have little knowledge of the floor of the building?

Next, on top of seeing your feet, you can feel your feet much better if you are barefoot. When your feet can make contact with the surface beneath you, it will allow you to feel more grounded. You will find, in time, that you can actually begin to connect to the different areas of your feet than you ever imagined. This is going to be tremendously beneficial for everybody, but especially for those with any sort of foot issue, such as flat feet or high arches (more on this another time). 

And lastly, there are more subtle reasons why you would like to be barefoot. Allowing the flesh on the soles of your feet to make contact with the same surface you are practicing on will keep you more connected. There is an energy that flows through your feet, undoubtedly. You have so many nerve endings in the feet and the hands (which is how you can explain reflexology) and allowing those nerve endings to be stimulated by letting them touch and feel and make contact with surfaces is enormously beneficial. Being barefoot means just one less material or surface between you and the earth beneath us. And yoga is about unity; unity with body, mind, soul, spirit, and the universe.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?