Another Yoga Story

I welcome written complaints from anyone who feels my yoga stories are too numerous. Until then, I will keep sharing the new stories I seem to be continuously acquiring.

So in another yoga class with another yoga teacher, I had an entirely new experience. This guy got very involved in my practice. In most of my classes, the teacher simply walks up to me after noticing my left arm's lack of mobility, usually during our first downward facing dog, asks if I have a shoulder injury, and then nods and walks away when I confirm. This time, he sat next to me, said "okay here's what we're gonna do," and proceeded to take me step by step through a much more comfortable modified pose. Throughout the practice, he came up to me and gave me more suitable poses for my shoulder and after the class, he recommended a specific teacher and type of yoga to help strengthen my arm. The interest that this teacher took in me reminded me why I started doing yoga in the first place: to help my shoulder. I had begun to do yoga like I do most things in life. I had begun to overcompensate for my left arm, causing strain on my right arm and further degeneration to my left. I had forgotten that if I do it in a way that's right for my body, yoga can actually counteract this tendency. This teacher reminded me that my practice is very different than anyone else's. I don't need to compare myself to them or try and do what I know I can't. I need to find what's best for my body so that I can actually take full advantage of my yoga instead of just going through the motions the way it seems I should.