Judy got knocked off her horse. And she was fine. Then she got back on and took the horse for a ride. Casual.
She didn’t credit bravery. She credited yoga. Not the handstand kind of yoga. The nervous system kind. The kind that keeps you from turning one bad moment into a full-body soap opera.
This is the part people miss when they say Ashtanga is just flexibility or grit. The shapes are a setup. The real training is staying present when you want to bolt. Breathing when you want to clamp down. Feeling the surge without letting it drive.
Every time practice got uncomfortable and you didn’t flee, you were wiring something. You were building a wider container. You were teaching your system: “We can handle sensation. We can handle surprise.” It’s not glamorous. It’s incredibly useful.
So when the world goes sideways—horse, job, relationship, your own mind—there’s a chance you don’t spiral. You meet the shock. You absorb it. You keep functioning. That’s the point. Not perfection. Not performance. Capacity.
