Practice a challenging/frustrating pose without trying to “get” it. Instead, take some time to really feel and understand what limits you.

Way back before the beginning of time, the gods found themselves losing battle after battle to the demons. No matter what they tried, the ruthless demons beat them. Worried that all of existence would fall under the influence of demons, the gods sought help from Lord Vishnu.

Befriend the demons, Lord Vishnu told them. Get them to help you churn the ocean for amrit, the nectar of immortality, then you will become invincible.

The gods were surprised by this advice, but they went to the demons and humbly asked for their help. The great mountain Mandara was uprooted to use as a churn, and Vasuki, the serpent king, offered to be the rope. They wrapped Vasuki around Mt. Mandara. Being prideful, the demons insisted on taking on Vasuki’s head while the gods pulled on the tail. Together, the gods and the demons commenced churning, but immediately Mandara began to sink into the bottomless sea. It had no foundation. Recognizing the danger, Lord Vishnu became a giant tortoise and dove deep into the ocean to support the mountain on his back.

Then the churning began in earnest. What a mess! Huge trees, bushes, and boulders, uprooted from the mountain’s flanks, roiled in the water around the gods and demons. Fires raged over the mountain and birds and animals fled in confusion and alarm. Still, the gods and demons churned and as they did, horrible monsters came up from the depths of the ocean. Vasuki, pulled this way and that, began to vomit poisonous fumes which the demons, at Vasuki’s head, could not escape. They could hardly carry on. Together, the gods and demons prayed to Lord Vishnu for the strength to continue.

At last, the ocean began to yield wonderful gifts of great power and beauty. The gods and demons thought their goal was near. Then suddenly, the ocean belched a great cloud of poison that threatened all creation. Lord Shiva rushed in and drank the poison, but instead of swallowing, he held it in his throat which turned blue for all time. Now, many wonderful treasures came into the world and still the gods and demons churned. Finally, Dhavantari, the gods’ physician, came with a white pitcher filled with the nectar of immortality. The greedy demons seized the pitcher and would have taken it all for themselves, but for Lord Vishnu’s intervention. He disguised himself as a beautiful woman who distracted the demons and took the amrit to give to the gods.

Befriend your demons! It’s the only way to be fully present to experience. Our ideals pull one way and our limitations pull another, and we need our limitations every bit as much as we need our lofty goals. The results of churning are messy, frightening, and chaotic, but if we continue, our efforts ultimately yield great gifts of power and understanding.

As we start out, let’s be grateful for our challenges. Without them, we can never get the prize.