I have a complicated relationship with yoga. I like it. I feel like it has enriched my life, but I'm not gaga about it the way some people are. I don't study yoga. I go to a once a week yoga class. I always feel better after yoga, but in a much more subtle way than I feel after a dance class for example.
During and after dancing I feel waves of pure joy. During yoga I experience repetitive waves of aggravation and frustration, my own smallness (but sometimes my own largeness), moments of peace and occasional personal insights and epiphanies. After dance, I feel sure that I love dancing. After yoga I feel grounded, lighter and hungry. See what I mean about subtleties? I don't go to one of those classes with mirrors or where students are wearing the latest gear. It's all about the breathing and undoing and going inward, or so our respected teacher tells us. It is only because of the wisdom exuded by my yoga teacher that I don't judge myself too harshly for not becoming a full-time enlightened yogi or for the erratic, all too human thoughts that pass through my mind when I'm supposed to be fully present in the pose. Years ago, while we were all upside down in Downward Dog someone called out "How long will it take to like Downward Dog?" I did the math in my upside down head and realized I'd been doing the pose for a decade and had just come to a place of not hating it. I didn't call out "ten years!" to my labouring classmate. (Am I the only one who expends a lot of energy every class stopping myself from NOT blurting out my thoughts?) But let me say to that man now, wherever you are Sir: "TEN YEARS MY FRIEND, TEN YEARS!" I try to practice regularly at home. I don't always, but when I do, my body and sometimes my soul thanks me for it. Here, in no particular order are thoughts I have had during yoga classes:
Namaste.
6 Comments
Deb T.
10/7/2015 12:27:46 pm
LOL. One of your best. :D
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Helga Beer
10/7/2015 08:55:22 pm
I love you for sticking it out....every week. You are creative and so you hold the space of being, at times, just lost, in the depth and subtleties of that glass of wine. I can often guess your thoughts, not because of any wisdom, but because I can get them myself. Can you take ten more years to love the " fish pose" ?
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Liz
10/9/2015 10:03:06 am
Thanks Helga. I am IN to TRY to love fish pose!
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Thanks for this Liz ... but I don't want to have to wait ten years to like downward dog ... I HATE that pose ... it hurts my shoulders and my wrists ... yet, given the option to rest in child, I always push myself to stay inverted ... to push my hips to the sky ... so maybe there's hope yet? And no, you're not the only one who holds themselves back from blurting out those pesky thoughts during class. Namaste Cousin. ;)
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Liz
10/9/2015 10:04:04 am
We have to get you a private session with Helga next time you are in town. She'll help you with your wrists and shoulders.
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Lorraine
10/14/2015 12:06:13 pm
I read this wearing my yoga clothes, waiting for it to be time to shuffle off to yoga. Seems fitting. I think that you nailed it - most of us feel conflicted and inadequate. Just not as eloquently.
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