Yoga Me This
Yoga. Ten years ago, I practiced it with middling success. I could touch my toes and twist this way and that. When I went with my friend Alice, I always felt ridiculous while she leaned forward and reclined on her legs.
I moved an inch.
But, I could do other things. With practice, I developed some proficiency.
Yet, when my cousin invited me to attend a yoga class with her tomorrow, I almost had a panic attack. Can I even touch my toes anymore?
*Lean forward*
*Pop spine and fall flat on my face*
No. I can’t.
But, hey. My belly isn’t muffin-topping over my workout pants…….do I get points for that?
Maybe I’ll just be a tree the whole time…….oh, it’s not an audition for a part in a play. Dang, I can still sort of be a tree.
For five or ten seconds before I fall over.
Child’s pose……..I’ll just do it when I can’t do anything else……….will I be in child’s pose the whole time?………..can I pretend I’m meditating when I fall asleep that way?
In some ways, this yogic reminder comes at the perfect time. I need to slow down and be kinder to myself. Stop my hyperactive mind once in a while. Breathe.
Do you have a favorite yoga pose? Or other way you let go?
The splay legged drunken stumble is my perfected position sadly.
Jim, this was a welcome guffaw at o-dark-thirty this morning. Thank you.
Cheers Andra – loved your latest set of posts – back from Barcelona – I think a trip there for you and your man will do you the power of (architectural) good!
Jim, MTM and I love Barcelona. I am itching to go back there for a spell. It is an inspiring place.
Certainly is!
Gingerfightback and me must have gone to the same class:)
I think I need to attend yoga class with you two, Roger.
There is a pose I call the “Watcher”. It involves bending the knees and positioning the butt over a four legged object and then lowering oneself until you just touch the object. Then lean backwards until you touch the wall. Look around and watch people in The Downward Dog and other poses. Hold for 30 minutes.
I may be doing that one a lot tomorrow, Robert. We’ll see.
My favorite pose is the final rest thing. I’m sure it has an animal name, maybe something like The Roadkill, but you just lay there and breathe for a long time. I like it when my exercise doubles as a nap, you know?
The Roadkill is an exquisite name for corpse pose.
Corpse pose
I like mountain pose, too, because I can just stand there.
I’ve tried Bikram Yoga and I absolutely LOVE the heat, however, it’s kind of difficult getting past the smell of stinky feet, especially because I have such a sensitive nose. Other than that there were a lot of poses I was unable to do…hence, I sat in the back.
I like the hot yoga classes because it makes stretching easier. I always take my own mat. Except for tomorrow. I will take my own towel, though.
I personally love pigeon pose. I’m sure there’s a much nicer Indian name for it. The pose is fantastic for stretching out the hips and thighs.
Pigeon pose is a great name. Have you managed to get Steve to go with you again?
Good stuff. Don’t laugh, but I used to do Pilates, and loved it. If I could find a good (meaning convenient and non-judgmental) place to do it, I would probably take it up again. Was great for my back and my belt-line.
Let us know how it goes!
Why would I laugh about your doing PIlates? Now that you’re working at MUSC, you should join the gym over there and take it back up.
the gym is just so expensive it hurts! It is an awesome facility though.
Truthfully, I have never been particularly flexible (was HORRIBLE at phys ed and sports as a kid) and too rigid and “Type A” to ever be that flexible; but, if I were less the klutz and a few (or more) years younger, I’d go to WA and see what my daughter-in-law could teach me. She’s the named subject in the photo here: http://www.scnews.com/news/2010-04-13/Family_%28and%29_Friends/Yoga_capital.html
What’s funny about flexibility…..I’m not flexible, either. Except in my hips. People have always marveled at how open they were in class. I found out last year that it’s because my right hip has been out of joint for who knows how long.
I love Yoga. But I don’t do it often enough, so I suck.
I will suck right along with you in the morning.
My favorite is when he hangs out with Boo Boo and fools the park ranger.
Oh Lawd.
Ah those were the days… I don’t even know if I can do a good forward bend anymore. Yoga here has been difficult to work into my schedule and budget. The forward bend is my favorite – I could lay on my knees all day. And shoulder stand – nothing like changing your perspective for a bit.
It has to be hard to do yoga with Cayleigh around, too, because she can twist herself into a pretzel.
Well, in some ways, my favorite is corpse pose, which comes at the end of my practice! I work hard first to get to that resting pose. I’ve practiced at a studio three times a week for the past seven years, and it has truly changed my physical life. I wouldn’t give it up for anything, simply because I feel so much better for doing it. Don’t get me started…I’ll start preaching to you. Ha! Just enjoy!! And be open. It’s all about opening up, body and soul. oxo
Debra, I really do need to take it back up more seriously. I felt great when I was doing it all the time.
I love the two you mentioned . . . tree pose and child’s pose. I also like warrier, downward facing dog, cat pose (arch back, collapse back).
And I love lying flat on my back at the end to just breathe and relax. Enjoy!
I love those, too, Nancy. I have been wont to go to sleep at the end, though.
The only pose I could do would be the beached whale pose. LOL
James, I fear I will beach whale myself tomorrow. Thanks for the laugh. You would not look like a beached whale.
LOL…. You are too kind my friend.
hahahahahaha! Me? A yoga pose? Me?
You could do corpse, Penny. You just lie on your back on the floor and close your eyes.
Child’s pose is right on my level of yoga. Kind of comforting, too.
Good for you, Andra! I took up yoga again several years ago with a passion after running had made the aging body too tight…now, it is just a way to keep body issues at bay.(I am amazed – I can tell after a few days if I don’t do these after a jog/bike) Daily maintenance = ddog, warrior ii, side angle, triangle, reverse triangle, side plank and sun salutations. I hope you have a good teacher who will make you smile and comfortable — yoga teaches us to fly ..namaste ~
just a heads up, the link for child’s pose leads to tree pose.
I looked up child’s pose though and that junk looks hard!!!
I love the tree pose, Andra. Though my balance is diabolical and on a bad day I just wobble a lot and fall over.