My Yoga

I dabbled in yoga before. In high school (why does that feel so long ago?) my sister and I would go to the YMCA for a Saturday morning class. While in Virginia I’ve explored the world of YouTube for flows I can do at home. Even bought a couple of eBooks. One focusing on core to help with inversions and definition for your abs. And the other a more detailed book on how to set up your week of yoga, warming up your joints, flexibility poses, and flows to do.

All great tools! But when at home I have little motivation to get it done. Too many distractions. The dogs are licking my face and biting my hair. Is that my phone ringing? I am hungry, what’s in the fridge?

I finally ventured to a yoga studio because I wanted to learn more about the practice and have another outlet besides weights. Staying busy is important for me, so I am not sitting idle and letting thoughts consume me.

For a little over a month now I have been going to a yoga studio.  And I just love it! It’s just you and your mat. No phones, they are left in little cubbies in the lobby. Soothing music in the background. Calming essential oils. Teachers guiding you through your practice. Learning how to get into a pose safely, deepen your stretch, and to flow to your own breath.

The studio has a lot to offer, besides classes they offer workshops on the weekends. Their classes range from slow flow, restorative yoga, tribe 1, yoga 101, tribe 2, trapeze yoga, and heated yoga. I’ve only been going to tribe 1, but I am wanting to try trapeze and tribe 2.

I’ve never sweated and felt so calm at the same time because let’s be honest, yoga is a workout. To hold a plank for four deep breaths, to stay in lunge for several more, to hold a headstand takes concentration and muscles you didn’t even know you had.

Seeing familiar faces when you go into your class. Feeling excited that you signed up with the class that has your favorite instructor, makes it that much easier to get to the studio to brave the cold nights and early fall of darkness.

Now that I’ve learned some flows I am eager to try them on my own to get in more practice. Don’t think I am going to stop going to classes though, they have been so beneficial in my life, especially during this season of life.