My training is coming to a close. And, although it is hard to express how wonderfully hard it’s been, the actual yoga practice has been the best part for me. Many days, I come out of the yoga practice supremely happy. Could jump for joy. Sing at the top of my lungs. Can we do it again? I love love love it. Even the ridiculously hard stuff.
In the midst of a yoga practice, I am thinking, “I can’t do that” but I still try it. It’s fun to me. And, today we learned a crazy one, called Mayurasana. Basically, stick your elbows in your gut and lift your body off the ground. Whew! Talk about a boob smashing experience! Or Pincha Mayurasana. It’s a forearm balance. Yesterday, my teacher said, “if you have to ask for a spot, then you better not be going up.” Well, I wanted a spot, but, didn’t ask for it. Just up and tried it and I got up. And, here I am, balancing on my forearms using a strap and the wall, but, I can GET UP. And, Bakasna. Again, a really hard pose, but for a brief moment in time (the time is getting longer than a second) I can get my feet off the floor. Check out those arms!! I DID NOT get those from one armed push-ups on medicine balls, I got those bad babies from Chaturanga! Finally, a Tripod Headstand. I usually see it taught going into it from Prasarita Padottanasana- but today the emphasis was on arm balancing so we were instructed to get into it from Bakasana. I can’t do that yet, but, it looks incredibly graceful when you can, and I will some day. Massive core strength.
My teachers teach in such a way that it is difficult to think about anything else. The sequencing of the practice flows like water from one pose to the next. Each pose leading up to the next hardest pose. There are days like this weekend where from the beginning pose- we are focusing on one thing- then in every pose the same things are emphasized so that by the end- or the peak pose, our bodies and minds are totally ready for it. And, he has prepped us with words like courage, consistancy and patience in the opening sequence. Yoga asana is just one small part of what yoga really is about. This blog has been following my journey and I am just barely cracking the surface of what yoga really is to me.
Contentment. Peace. Happiness. Love. All I can add at the moment, is that when I walk out of a yoga class, I am content. I don’t overanalyze my poses- just happy with where I am right then. I’ve not found or had this feeling in any other sport. In running and cycling, it’s always been about performance with the consecutive disappointment feelings when the event doesn’t go as planned…
If nothing else, maybe you will go out and try a yoga class again!
3 responses so far ↓
1 Terecita // Jun 8, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I’m glad you had such a great experience with yoga. I am going to try to start yoga soon, too.
2 RunToFinish // Jun 8, 2009 at 7:33 pm
holy strong woman batman!! I have been doing yoga daily since I got back and really do love the way it makes me feel
RunToFinishs last blog post..Ginger People save my tummy
3 ll // Jun 22, 2009 at 9:06 pm
My physical therapist thought I should do the cobra. I did it a few times. No problem. Then the last time I did it, something popped in my lumbar, which is the reason I was doing this in the first place (to relieve pain) but the pop made it ten thousand times worse and now I have chronic excruciating shooting sciatic pains in my shins (of all places) I hurt like a mofo sometimes so yoga aint all that.
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