Movement is A privilege
Most days, we do not even notice it. We walk,reach, bend, breathe, and move through our lives as if it will always be this way, until something reminds us that movement is not guaranteed, but a gift.
When movement is out of reach
Right now, as I write this, I am in bed with a strong cold.
For a week I have not been walking, going to the gym, or practicing yoga. Mybody will not let me, and I know I should accept this rest, but I still want to move.
I also know how privileged this frustration is,knowing that many people live with disabilities, chronic illness, pain, or conditions that limit movement every single day. Some cannot walk at all, someuse wheelchairs, some need support just to get out of bed. For them, mytemporary limitation is their everyday reality.
We are built to move
A few months ago, I had the rare chance to see anatomical specimens used for medical studies.
It was overwhelming to remember these were people who had lived, loved,laughed, and grieved. I felt a deep gratitude for my own body and all it allows me to do.
Seeing the layers of muscle, the placement of bones,and the web of ligaments and joints made one thing very clear: we are made for movement. The human body is designed to reach, twist, walk, dance, rest, andrise again. We are stronger and more adaptable than we often believe.
Practice, patience, and small steps
From childhood on, even the simplest movements are a journey.
Bringing food to the mouth, learning to crawl, taking those first unstable steps. All of it takes countless repetitions. It takes years to walk uprightwith confidence, yet as adults we expect progress to come quickly.
The same is true for yoga. A pose will not become effortless overnight. It is practice, practice, practice. Think of athletes:what they can do is extraordinary, but it is not an accident: it is the resultof many small, consistent actions over time, a kind of “compound effect” wheretiny efforts add up to big changes. You do not need to be an athlete, but a fewfocused minutes of intentional movement each day can slowly transform yourrelationship with your body.
Claiming your privilege to move
Yoga, for me, is where all of this comes together.
It is more than movement, more than asana. It is an art, a philosophy, and a science of being in a body and in a mind at the same time. When I step on themat, I am reminded that every posture and every breath is a privilege –especially after times when I could not move freely or without pain.
Yoga offers a process that does not rush and does not demand perfection.
Step by step, it helps you move toward something you want or need: moremobility, less pain, more presence, more trust in your body. You can start simply by noticing your body, choosing to move with care instead of force, andhonoring what your body can do today.
If you can move, even a little, you hold a powerful privilege.
Unroll your mat or simply stand up and stretch. Feel your breath, your joints,your muscles waking up. This is how you begin to honor the privilege of movement: one conscious breath, one gentle movement, one patient practice at atime.
Lise is the founder of vayamyoga in Bern, Switzerland.She is a dedicated yoga practitioner and a certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor(Level 1).