Anybody feel bad because they don't feel fantastic doing yoga?

[sniffle12]

I mean sometimes it feels good, and afterwards I'm always glad I did it.

But when I'm in a position that's really stretching me (for example any kind of standing or seated fold - I have tragic hamstrings) and the teacher is telling me I should now feel totally at ease, full body awareness, totally scrumptious, blah blah, I feel kind of like I've failed because I don't feel those things.

And yet surely if I didn't push myself at all and only did what felt completely comfortable and good at all times, I would never get any stronger or more flexible? Surely exercise is about sometimes feeling a bit uncomfortable in order to expand your comfort zone?

Your teacher can't dictate how you should feel. There are poses that are challenging. There can be some discomfort.

You have to be sensible... There's nothing wrong with a slight burn during a stretch. But pushing into pain just to achieve the pose is a bad idea.

If a pose is simply impossible to do without sharp pain, then skip it. Go into something you can do that's in a similar general orientation. Modify it. Can't grab your big toe? It's fine to grab your ankle or even knee. And then you can focus on the breath, the lengthening, etc.

Yoga shouldn't be forced. Its about alignment and having a flow of energy.

I'm "good" at yoga in that I work with my body and align it well. I'm horrendously inflexible though so it looks deeply unimpressive! I don't cheat on my alignment so that it looks more bendy. Being inflexible can make it harder, such as a forward bend where I'm handing inches away from the floor. Using props like blocks and bands can help ease that.