Yoga

Alexpedition! is not just about traveling. It's about figuring out who Alex is and what Alex wants. It is is also about exploring new things. One thing I am sure of is that Alex is an introvert.

Given that I am an introvert, yoga should have been a given, but it has really become quite a surprise.

I have tried yoga a couple of times in the past but it never caught on as strongly as it has at this moment in my life.

I started practicing yoga about 10 months ago. The idea and commitment was someone else's originally. I was at an inservice activity at the start of the school year and the coordinator put us in a small circle. The coordinator asked us to go around the circle and make a commitment to something that was either professional or personal for the next year. We were given the option of taking a pass. A friend and fellow teacher said he wanted to start practicing yoga. My mind started to swirl with thoughts when he made his commitment, like..."darn...that's a good one!!" But, when my turn came I took a pass. Mostly because for once I had absolutely nothing I wanted to make a commitment to.

The thought of going to yoga kept swirling around in my mind, and I knew exactly the studio to go to so I decided to start with one class a week.

My objective at the time was exercise.

Let me take a moment to say that I don't know ANYTHING about yoga.

I just practice it.

Exercise was achieved and I found myself feeling stronger and more confident. But I also found myself giddy and at ease after each practice. 

I eventually added another class and started looking for a new yoga mat. If you are going to do an activity you MUST get the gear to go with it and a yoga mat is essentially THE gear for yoga. I did a great deal of research and took my time and bent a great many ears looking for the perfect yoga mat. You don't want it to smell and you don't want to slip on it when you sweat.

My recommendation to anyone interested in starting a yoga practice is a JADE yoga mat. It is in my opinion the perfect yoga mat because I have now stopped obsessing about finding the perfect yoga mat.

I went from two basic Hatha classes a week, to trying out the next level of Hatha on the weekends. it was really a challenge but I eventually conquered the crescent lunge, which is much harder than it looks.

Physically yoga has ELIMINATED the pain I used to get in my hips from running. My hips feel very strong and stable. I don't have the best posture in the world but my posture has certainly improved from yoga. My back is BANGING. 

I also learned that I am extremely flexible. I thought my daughter got her flexibility in dance from the dance flexibility fairy, but apparently she gets it from me.

I have recently started adding Vinyasa classes to my practice. I feel more comfortable with Hatha classes than Vinyasa, but I will hopefully get better as I practice.

I love the variety of teachers at the yoga studio I attend. They all bring something different and new.

I think the one thing that has really surprised me about yoga has been the way it can change my mood. I really enjoy the breath work and trying to relax my very active mind and my body at the same time. I ALWAYS leave yoga feeling better. I find myself being more patient, not feeling so rushed, wanting to smile more and enjoy the giddy feeling it gives me.

I have tried yoga-nidra, which is yogic sleep twice. I have also welcomed spring by doing 108 or so sun salutations in one event. It's sort of like a yoga marathon. 

I saw a news program about a 80+ year old woman doing yoga and they asked her how much longer she would be able to do yoga and she said, "I will always do yoga." 

Her statement sums up my plan regarding yoga.

Namaste!