Namaste

So, I finally took a real yoga class this week.  I’ve been practicing yoga for a couple years now.  And by “practicing”, I mean, "attempting yoga poses through various videos, Wii Fit and P90X".  I actually think I’ve gotten pretty good with the P90X one.  The first time I did it?  I cried at the end.  That was either a good or bad sign.

But, because I never had any formal training, I was afraid I was doing the poses incorrectly (although the computerized Wii Fit trainer told me I did a great job).  So, I’ve always wanted to take a class.  My cousin is a yoga instructor and gave me the name of a woman on my side of town to try. 

2 years ago.

But, because I’m a big baby social, I wanted to take this class with a friend.  I begged pleaded with implored suggested to my friends that they take a class with me.  No one said yes.  Or, rather, they said yes, but never meant it.  Love you guys! 

Finally, FINALLY, I talked a friend into going.  Hooray!  We made a date, she contacted the teacher, we were set.  The class was held at the instructor’s house about 25-30 minutes south of where I live.  It’s a little far for a class, but I was going to get real training!  By an instructor who was recommended to me by another instructor!  It was going to be awesome! 

I passed by the house on my first attempt.  Damn.

  

We all walked into her house, took off our shoes.  Her yoga studio is pretty awesome.  I am not good at describing things, but it was pretty.  Beautiful lightly-stained wood floors, big floor-to-ceiling bay windows that look out onto 8 acres of land.  Through the window, I could see an outdoor area for yoga, but with the mosquito problems we’ve had this summer, we voted to stay indoors. 

There were 11 of us in all in the class.  We began class seated in a circle on the floor.  Went through about 20 minutes of introduction.  Who we are, why we were there.  Then the chanting began.

I knew chanting was a part of it.  In the P90X version I’d done, there are ohms at the end of the video.  And, I did them.  Because, according to Tony, our nervous system needed to be massaged.  Or something.  But, this time, I was afraid I wasn’t going to get through them without laughing.  I mean, I understand the benefits of yoga.  That was the main reason I want to do it.  It just felt… silly.  I had to give it a chance, though.  If I wasn’t going to go all in, there was no point being there. 

So, I faked it chanted. 

And messed up the words.  How do you mess up an ohm?

Eh. 

The poses we did were pretty similar to what I’ve done in the past.  I felt good about my technique.  She only corrected my position once.  Wait, twice.  When she told us to rotate our knees, I had each knee going in the opposite direction of each other (picture 'wax on, wax off').  She then put my knees together and showed me what she meant (both knees going in the 'wax on' direction).

Oh. 

Okay, that part made me laugh out loud.  Was I trying to make it difficult?  Picture you knees rotating in towards each other.  It’s not easy.

And then came the half hour relaxation part.  This was the part I always skipped in my prenatal yoga video.  Who can lie still for that long without being asleep?  Or watching a movie?  Or reading?  And how are you supposed to turn off the outside world?  For as long as I can remember, every time I’ve tried to “tune out”, it has only made me think more obscure thoughts.  

"Did I turn off my curling iron this morning?"
"I should stop and get some milk on my way home."
"Gaaah!  Stop thinking!  Concentrate on not thinking!"
"I should consider getting one of those yoga blankets.  They're cute."
"I wonder how long we have to lie here?"
"Man, I suck at this." 

But, then it got a little easier because she gave us images to think about.

A butterfly.

A sunset over the ocean.
A bottle of ketchup.

I have to admit, I felt pretty great afterward.  Didn't feel like talking much afterward, but I was Chatty Cathy once I got home.  And the euphoria lasted clear through the next day.

This is my kind of exercise.  Namaste!