Au Contraire, Mon Tea Bag

“Mantras you shouldn’t say: I don’t know; I’m not ready; I can’t do it.”

While I’m not usually a fan of the tea-bag statement—they are often reductionist New Age yada-yada—this one especially ticks me off. Let’s dissect quickly, through the lens of yoga/training:

  • “I don’t know.” What better thing to say, especially when followed by, “But I can try to find out”?
  • “I’m not ready.” Then don’t waste our time or put yourself in danger! (Not being ready for an asana or a race but doing it anyway is sure to lead to injury.) Be with where you are, and work on getting ready.
  • “I can’t do it.” Learning to say “no,” as in, “I won’t do it,” is critical for your well being.

Surely these can be spun in the other direction, but I was struck by the need to read critically. And now my tea is ready.