First, let me talk a bit about the difference between pain and suffering: Pain is part of life. Suffering is optional. Suffering is the story behind our pain, the things we tell ourselves "I'll always be like this, I'll never. . . or I should not have. . .or he or she shouldn't have. . ." Nothing wrong with pain and suffering being the motivation that brings us to practice in the first place, but since yoga is very effective, and most likely WILL result in a lessening of our suffering, do we then stop practicing? I was struck last week, talking to a student who had done the yoga challenge a few years ago. Her challenge was to practice legs-up-the-wall every day. How did it go? Oh, it felt wonderful! she reported. Great! Was she still doing it? No. Here's an idea that might seem a bit odd at first: We get attached to our suffering. If we commit to a daily practice, life might get easier. . .though not always at first, and not always directly.