As most people know, Ben and I are very devoted to our yoga practice. In a normal week in our normal life in Mobile, we plan our week's events around our yoga class. You can look up facts and stats about yoga yourself, about how it has helped innumerable people with various ailments, how it predates most religions, and other nifty facts that make the practice of yoga unique. Recently, though, I have been more focused on what I personally get out of yoga.
First, let me describe a typical class. We start with breathing techniques and meditation in a seated position, and we take a moment to set an intention for our class, to individually dedicate it to a purpose. This week my intent for class was to be at peace with whatever life has to give me. Then we move into sequences of poses which flow easily from one to another. Most of the class is spent in standing postures and alternates inversion postures (bent over postures) and back-bending postures. After sufficient time for building heat in the body with nearly constant movement, most classes practice a few postures specifically for balance, strength, or flexibility. The class ends in a "corpse pose" where we lie on our backs and meditate, or think about nothing. Yoga is one of the only styles of exercise which incorporates rest into the practice, which is probably why yoga is so relaxing.
Aside from the physical elements, there is something metaphysical about a class and a personal practice as well. Every movement feels like part of a dance, and every participant dances the same dance to his own rhythm, his breathe. When I practice, I feel that I am acknowledging something greater and more powerful than myself, something in me that is also in the other participants, something inside of everyone. I am not a big fan of church, and that's no secret. I have my reasons, and I don't discuss religion with just anyone. Sometimes I feel like I commune with God in my practice of yoga and what it brings to my life, and I can't say that about many churches I've attended.
What does yoga bring to my life? Well, it brings my husband and me together at least one night of the week to experience something spiritual together. It's hard for me to dedicate myself to exercise regularly, like running or something, but I religiously practice yoga at least once a week, whether I can make a class or not. Physically, I've never been more flexible, and I can seriously tell a difference in my muscle tone. I'm a big girl, I have a history of asthma, I can't run a marathon, and I don't play sports. Yoga is something physical that I can take pride in, though, and I feel better about myself because of it. Though I do have breathing complications, the breathing techniques I use in yoga are easy to incorporate to control my breathing in physically stressful situations. I can't emphasize enough how yoga has changed my perception of myself. I feel the most beautiful when I look in the mirror during class and see my body aligned perfectly (or insanely contorted).
And at the end of the class, the instructor guides you to think about the things you are most thankful for. Every week, I am encouraged to give myself more reasons to live and to be a better person, more reasons to enjoy life and love people. Today I was thankful that Ben got some payable work, that my mom is okay and my brother is watching out for her, and that I get to have adventures lots of people may never have. Every week I am thankful that I have found my own way to commune with something higher, that I have the opportunity and ability to practice.
Sorry if this post was boring for you, dear reader. I just wanted to share a major part of my life with other people who are also a major part of my life, in some respect or another. Thanks for reading. Namaste.
