Yoda said, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Fear schmear.

I'm not saying fear schmear as in "be afraid of Philadelphia cream cheese" (although someone steal that and write that post).

I'm saying fear schmear like Fran Drescher says "cancer schmancer."

Fear sucks.  Not good for health.

Nudge a little towards love over fear whenever possible.

Ask: what is it about yoga or (insert your health challenge here) that I am afraid of?

Am I afraid that I'll quit yoga?

That the other yogis will do laughter yoga thinking about me?

Am I afraid the yoga will damage a tendon?

Am I afraid the yoga teacher will let me know "it's OK to just stay down in child's pose, really?"

Solve the fear.

It's not complicated.

Yoda would say, "Keep showing up you must."

Keep showing up to class.

Keep doing the inversion poses.  Keep on keeping on and dig it.

Embrace your inner Yoda Yogi.

Keep letting go of the fear when it shows up.

And it will.

Say you're in your best Warrior Pose.

Look at the worst case scenario. You gracefully tilt over like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

"Boom, you go."

"The mat, you hit."

Maybe don't have such high "yogexpectations" this class.

“The force” is your energy. Your prana. Let the fear go, let the force flow.

You let it flow by letting go of Warrior Pose having to show up a certain way today.

Just let it Warrior Pose be however Warrior Pose wants to be today.

"Warrior trying to get better" is the best yoga pose of all.

Microstep: Let go of the fear holding you back today.  Let go of the dark side and let in the light.  Allow the force to move through you, as Yoda would say.