We've been talking about "the edge" a lot in yoga lately."The edge" being the point between not enough and too much. Erich Schiffman (yoga-meister) wrote about this and discusses a negotiation of balance in the yoga practice and in life. I like to think about it in terms of Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (there's a little educational jargon for you). A point at which if you did any more it would be too much and any less would be not enough. And it's only at this point that one can truly grow and develop. So, in terms of a yoga practice it makes perfect sense. You have to push yourself forward to develop, but if you push too hard you will have nothing but pain and sorrow. As you flirt with the edge, the threshold is slowly raised and you progress through your edge only to encounter a new edge.
Obviously, as with all yogic theory, this applies to life on and off the yoga mat.
Naturally, I love this idea. Being the non-pusher that I am, I like to think that people who push themselves too hard are missing out on something. And, being the non-pusher that I am, I have also learned that by not pushing yourself enough you are missing out on something.
Balance. It all comes back to balance.
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