In yoga, we often hear the phrase “meeting your edge.” It is a gentle yet powerful invitation to lean into the threshold where comfort ends and transformation begins. The edge is not a place of reckless pushing, nor is it a space of retreat and avoidance. Rather, it is the living boundary between what we know and what we have yet to discover about ourselves. To meet our edge is to step into the unknown with presence, courage and breath. In many ways, this experience mirrors the essence of Kali, the fierce yet loving Hindu goddess who embodies time, change and liberation.

On the mat, the edge is both physical and subtle. When we fold forward, balance on one leg, or expand into a backbend, we encounter sensations that tell us we are nearing our limit. Push too far, we wince in pain or risk injury; pull back too much, and we remain stuck in familiar patterns. However, at our edge, that precise place where intensity meets breath, we find the possibility of expansion. How we respond to these thresholds in our practice often mirrors how we respond to these opportunities for growth and transformation in life. Kali, too, dwells at such thresholds. She stands at the symbolic border between life and death, illusion and truth, ego and liberation. Her dark form is a reminder that the edge is never comfortable, but always transformative.

Kali’s imagery is striking. She dances with her wild hair flying, tongue extended, a garland of skulls encircling her neck. She is often depicted standing on the chest of Shiva, her consort, symbolizing the grounding of her unstoppable energy. To the uninitiated, she may appear terrifying. Yet to her devotees, she is the most compassionate of mothers, for she destroys only that which keeps us bound: our ego, attachments and fear. In yoga practice, when we meet our edge, Kali’s energy is present. She asks us: “What are you willing to release? What old story or fear must die so that you may be reborn into your truer self?”

Throughout our practice, we are offered countless opportunities to meet our edge. Each class becomes an unfolding, a discovery of deeper truths of self. Some days, simply showing up on the mat is meeting our edge. Other days, it takes everything we have to tune out external distractions just to focus on the breath. We may feel uncomfortable receiving the fullness of a heart-opening pose, or find ourselves groaning at the thought of moving into a backbend. What if we borrowed some of Kali’s fierceness and courage? Could we give ourselves permission to laugh when we tumble out of tree pose, or to explore a new bind in side angle pose? Can we be willing to embrace the practice without needing to do each pose perfectly?

The edge in yoga, like Kali, strips away illusion. We may arrive on our mat seeking only flexibility or strength, but when we breathe at our edge and become fully present in the moment, we uncover hidden impatience, self-judgment or resistance. This is Kali’s dance. One that is fierce, uncompromising and yet profoundly liberating. She does not allow us to cling to what is safe or familiar. Instead, she guides us to dissolve what no longer serves, so that we may step into the fullness of who we are.

Meeting your edge, then, becomes an act of devotion. Each inhale is a bow to the courage it takes to stay. Each exhale is a surrender into the unknown. In this way, yoga becomes a practice of Kali’s wisdom: fierce yet loving, destructive yet creative. When we meet our edge with awareness, we invoke her power to burn away illusion and to awaken what is real.

Ultimately, to meet your edge in yoga is to recognize that transformation always lives at the threshold. Kali teaches us not to fear this edge but to embrace it, for in the fire of challenge, we are purified. At the boundary of comfort, guided by the Dark Mother, we discover freedom. 

Christy Abate is co-owner of The Angel Cooperative and The Angel Wing, located at 51 Ethan Hwy. in Ridgefield. The Angel Cooperative is a metaphysical store featuring the first Shungite Room in the U.S., while The Angel Wing serves as a spiritual center offering classes, workshops, certifications, energy work, yoga, qigong and more. Christy teaches yoga and workshops, co-leads a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, and continues to guide students through a variety of transformative programs. See ad, page 14.

The Angel Cooperative - 51 Ethan Allen Hwy Route 7, Ridgefield, CT

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Metaphysical Store: The Angel Cooperative is a unique lifestyle boutique featuring the first and only Shungite Room in the USA. Wide select... Read More » 

 

The Angel Wing - 51 Ethan Allen Hwy Route 7, Ridgefield, CT

The Angel Wing, A Divine Spiritual Center. Located next door to The Angel Cooperative Wellness Center: The Angel Wing is next door to The Angel Cooperative. It has a large yoga room an... Read More »