Monday, July 20, 2009

Yoga

When I first took a yoga class in 2001, I thought it was boring. I had just moved to Boston, and was working for the Air Force fitness program, and one of the things I coordinated was the aerobics program----no, I didn't teach for the program. That would be a horrible disaster. I did, however, have to spend about $100K in appropriated funds in one week before it was taken away and given to someone else.... So, my co-worker Heidi and I went to Hyannis (Cape) for a weekend yoga teacher training. It was YogaFit, specifically.

They gave us a huge F350 gas/biodiesel truck to drive down there for the weekend, and we hit the road early on Saturday morning. Heidi is a great lady, and we were sort of in the same boat---the opposite of yogis. The weekend was ok. I got sick of sitting up straight in criss-cross-applesauce (politically correct for "indian style"---I learned that from Matthew) for hours, listening to people talk. I had to put together a little sequence for Sunday and "teach it" to the class. I really didn't like that part either. I'm more likely to want to blend into the woodwork in situations like that...quietly observing....

So, I didn't get much out of the weekend, taught probably 10 yoga classes.....and then moved on with my life.

>>Fast forward to now.

I started doing yoga at Breathe in Pittsford over a year ago because I needed stress relief and fitness. I had heard it was heated (90 degrees) and pretty intense vinyasa flow...it is. I love it for cardio, strength, and flexibility training...and sweating. I moved on to do most of my yoga at Midtown, same style.

This week I'm at the Kripalu Institute taking a 5-day Anusara Intensive workshop with Desiree Rumbaugh. I didn't know what Anusara was, really, but it's no flow...that's for sure. It's better, precise, deep, challenging. I think it will be the perfect complement to my flow-mojo when I'm back at home.

It's day one, and I'm just taking this break time to grade labs (there is no vacation from online education!)---ok, so I'm not grading labs yet, but I'm on the computer, so I'm closer than if I were outside.

I've already learned a lot, and I'd like to share some of it with you.

1. If it hurts, you're doing it wrong.
2. You can heal yourself with yoga, mentally and physically
3. Many yogis are very prideful about their type of yoga, but ultimately it doesn't matter what style your yoga is or who you trained with---the end goal is all the same---feel happy, love yourself, and be nice to other people.

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