I Get It.
For years now, I’ve heard people raving about yoga and how good it makes you feel and how awesome it is. I have a few yoga dvds, and I thought, yeah, it was ok, but it wasn’t all that.
Tonight, I learned what they were talking about.
Monday night, Kris was bs’ing with Carrie on GChat while I was playing with my sewing machine, and he came in and said Carrie wanted to know if I had ever considered taking a yoga class and if so, would I be interested in joining her for one on Thursday evenings. I said sure, and we signed up for a class at Golden Heart Yoga on Thursdays.
Truthfully, I’ve wanted to go somewhere and take a class for a long time, but I was afraid. I was afraid of walking into a class where I knew no one, afraid of looking like an idiot because I had no clue what I was doing, afraid of being the fat chick in a room full of skinny, uber-flexible goddesses… you name it. Can you tell I don’t deal well with new situations? Most people don’t believe me, but I am extremely shy. Painfully so. Like, sick-to-my-stomach, have-to-talk-myself-into-it shy about going somewhere that I don’t know anyone. I hate it, but I’ve always been that way.
So, this time, I had an “in” – I wasn’t going alone! There was one person there that I knew I could trust not to mock me, no matter how stupid I looked or how awkward it was. So, I met Carrie there at 5:30 tonight, and for the next hour, I had the most amazing time. Our teacher, Joan, was the sweetest, most welcoming person I’ve ever met. I felt at-ease immediately, and she was really encouraging to all of us. I left the class feeling energized, flexible, strong… and this was only the first night of a level one newbie class! The hour went faster than the 20-minute dvd that Morninglight Mama and I do (theoretically) twice a week (when our schedules aren’t entirely screwy…), and when it was over, I could have stayed longer.
So, yeah. I get it now. Yoga = teh awesome. And I can’t wait for next Thursday.
In other news… the progress on the lace gloves?
Not so much. I tried them on at the Barnes & Noble SnB today… too small. Gah. So, I ripped them. I’m going to start again with the medium size, because the fabric I was getting was nice. Oh well. It’s an easy knit, and I really want these gloves, so what else can I do?
September 11th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Yoga with a good teacher is unlike any other physical activity I have ever tried. I miss it and want to try to find a class here. If I actually get my crap together, I’ll start by trying the classes at my gym and see where that goes. Meanwhile, I’ve been riding my kick-ass new bike every day I’m at the Lake and that is seriously awesome.
You know you did the right thing by ripping the gloves. And at least they’re gloves, so it’s not like you ripped the whole back of a sweater, right?
September 12th, 2008 at 12:50 am
will you come with me to a yoga class? I swear, I could have written your post (except I have yet to make it to a class)
one of these days…
September 12th, 2008 at 2:57 am
I’m with Christy above. I totally feel the same way about trying yoga. So glad your first class went well!!!!
September 12th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Going to a class makes such a huge difference. Of all the yoga classes I’ve taken, I’ve always felt very welcomed. The one thing I will say is that they are always better at an individual studio than Joe Schmo’s Giant Gym.
Yoga is partially about accepting where you and your body are and improving on that. It’s not a competition. I’m glad Carrie coaxed you into going. I think you’ll continue to love it.
Alas, no yoga studios in the ‘dorf, either….)@^#@)#^%)&*@#%(^@%!(
September 12th, 2008 at 7:59 am
I shared a fat-positive and yoga-positive experience about a year ago that may apply here.
Alas that the instructor moved away. I miss his enthusiasm and wisdom.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Good for you. I really miss my yoga class. Mom and I went regularly for several years, but I got too pregnant and then our friend stopped teaching regularly, so we’ve been slack about finding another class.
September 12th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
yay for you! i too lurv the yoga experience. i’m hoping to get back into classes. there’s a serenity that just can’t be beat. i’m very happy for you.
September 12th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
YAY YOGA!!!
I’m so happy you went to yoga!!! I LOVE YOGA!!! L. O. V. E.!!!
Because of your fitness along which I have yet to go back and report I started back up again and dear friend of mine… I PANIC the entire drive there.
Because I go it alone and you know me, I AM NOT athletic in any sense of the word… and even yoga seems athletic at times because I need to MOVE my BODY… in front of other people, OMG.
I’m taking a class called “Easy Does It” and I am by far the youngest one in the class, so I should be more at, ummm “ease?” But nope… But once I get there and hear our instructors voice in that sweet little accent telling us to grab a “booooooou staaaare,” I melt and mold and then slightly ache once I leave feeling oh so much better.
OH DO TELL US MRE OF YOUR ENJOYMENT NEXT WEEK!!!
xo
me
September 13th, 2008 at 8:15 am
The yoga doesn’t seem to like me. I apparently have terrible balance. And I can’t stop concentrating on everything going on around me to really enjoy it. I’m way too self conscious.
September 13th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I always feel so good after I finish one of my yoga DVDs. Thanks for the reminder – gotta start making time for those again! After I play with my new Wii Fit.