Friday, June 6, 2014

Limits From Without and Within

This is from Jim Leff's Blog, a very interesting observation on limits:


"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 all does make sense to me, however. This has become my model, and it feels natural to me. Yet, even so, I absolutely can't hold a handstand without a wall. Mentally understanding it all doesn't change anything."

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