My First Yoga Classes

On Tuesday, September 9, I began my first day of Yoga. After a long weekend of laziness, I went to the gym the night before and my muscles were aching a bit. Nonetheless, I figured yoga was a great way to get some stretching in.

What I believed would be a 6pm Power Yoga class ended up being a mild version of Hot Yoga. There were only four people in the class, leaving enough air to breath and not feel overcrowded. The air was dry and I have to say it did get me sweating and giving me a greater sense of a workout. We started off with some breathing exercises and stretching and flowed smoothly through the class. John was a great instructor, he was very descriptive with the moves and came around and helped us.
I thought that the most challenging poses were:
1. Semi triangle/pyramid - I found this to be a bit of a strain on the back of my knee
2. Bridge (Arms and shoulder blades touching each other on the ground) - I never knew my arms could go that far back
3. Plow pose - the hardest part was getting my legs and back raised not necessarily holding it there

Although my lower back was killing me when I got home, I told myself I was still going to Yoga in the morning!

Wednesday, September 10, I made it to Laurie's 9am All Level Yoga class and found myself in for a challenge. This class had some similarities to the previous day's class but to me it seemed that the movements flowed a lot quicker (or maybe it was because my entire body ached). Laurie also came over and deepened my poses (all the while I thought I would break my back) but it did make for better stretches! I realized how tight my body is when I realized all the people older than me easily flowing through these poses…
I also realized that the most challenging aspects of Yoga for me are:
1. Remembering to keep breathing. As if thinking about all the deep stretching I was doing isn't difficult enough, I have to also remember to keep breathing and in an even 4 count rhythm. jeez
2. Over thinking all the poses and then:
a. when I finally get it, its time to move onto a new pose
b. holding it there and deepening into the pose further and further
3. Mentally focusing on the present and what I am doing. Clearing my head of all other thoughts.

One question I had always wondered was: Why do we finish Yoga by chanting OM? After watching "Naked in Ashes" I discovered that it is the most sacred syllable and regularly used in practice and in prayer.

When class was just about over and we were laying down in Savasana I felt every inch of my body throb in soreness but mentally I couldn't help but feel so relaxed and at peace.