The Continuing Journey of Yoga

I have now been practicing yoga for over a year. This is pretty amazing when I stop to think about it. I haven't manage to continuously do much of anything for over a year aside from yoga except blogging apparently. :)

I started yoga without much knowledge of how to do any of it. Now I feel comfortable in the classes and enjoy some of the poses. I remember the first time I went into plank pose and Vicki (instructor) told us hold it there for a minute. I thought, surely she is joking. I could only watch the class go into side plank (see below) from there. As she was doing all of this, she was talking about building your strength and knowing your limits. Well, that day I knew where my limits were. I was happy to watch everyone else in awe.

Side Plank

Last night we did some pose switching from downward dog to plank and repeat about ten times. I did it without the struggle I experienced in those first few classes. We even got to side plank pose which has not come up in class in a long time. I was actually able to get into it and hold it for a while. In fact, I tried the next level of this pose or the full expression of the pose (see below). I was not able to get my leg up that far and I was a little more hunched in, but I managed to grab my toe and pick it up a fair distance and didn't fall over! That's the great thing about yoga, it's all about personal achievements. A year and some months ago, I looked at this in disbelief that people's body's could actually do this and here I am now managing to grab my toes!

Side Plank - Full expression

Not only have I been able to achieve new poses, I have a greater appreciation for the practice itself. When I am stressed or need focus, I know I can turn to yoga to find calm and center myself. I find I have a greater respect for myself and my limits and even to some extent what I can expect of others. I am also trying to let go more or as some would put it - not to sweat the small stuff. It's not easy, but I am making progress.

Rob even got me a couple of books on yoga for Christmas which I thought was just fantastic. He emailed Amanda to get the contact into for my yoga instructor. He asked her for some recommendations of books that would be good to help me have a greater understanding of yoga. I had talked about this, but failed to get the recommendations so he did that part for me. The books I got were Meditations from the Mat and Yoga; The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness. So far I have only had the chance to read the meditations book. I like it. :)

Does this sound corny? Probably to those who don't really get yoga, but I don't care. It's my escape from the sometimes less than pleasant world we experience each day. And I think if anyone can find that escape, they should take it and savor it. It really is a beautiful thing.