Well, here it is April 10th, and I have gone to 9 classes.  I had forgotten the intensity of what your body goes through in order to do deep yoga every day.  It really is like maintaining yourself through a marathon of any kind.  You have to pace yourself and preserve your energy a little and stay on track.  Especially going to classes daily.  30 classes in 30 days.  This becomes a primary commitment in one’s life.  Actually having to plan your life around being able to make it to a yoga class.  A friend keeps reminding me that I could do yoga anywhere and consider that a class.  This is so true.  Maybe I should try that a little more.  I just learn so much from my teachers.  They are flowing over with amazing stories, music, knowledge, and an intense love of yoga and the work of yoga.  It truly is a science.  I felt mesmorized last night in yoga just hearing and thinking about my inner and outer ankle bones.   Oh, and the maximum rotation of the knee.  Alignment of the body is fascinating to me.  Then to actually feel an alignment you may not have felt before is absolutely profound!

To focus on the Niyamas…  This encompasses “The Five Observances”..  Sauca(purity), Santosa(contentment), Tapas(Zeal Austerity), Svadhyaya(self study), Isvara-pranidhana(devotion to your highest self)… It seems to me the the Yamas, which is the first limb of yoga is sort of how you are in the world.  The Niyamas seems like how you are with yourself.  It’s like getting right with yourself and then going out into the world in this way.

According to what some consider the father of yoga, Pantanjali theorizes on the concept of yoga on  a mind, body, and soul perspective.  “As we practice yoga, we are aware of both aspects of mental and physical-on the state of our minds.  On the mat, begin to experience asana and pranayama as purifying your body as well as strengthening it.  Off the mat, cultivate consciousness and care around the choices you make concerning your mental and physical environment.”  I think yoga can make a person very contemplative.  This is a good thing.  It is a good thing to think for ourselves in a time when we are inundated with technology.  It is so healthy to know and feel our own body and mind’s wisdom.  I continue to try.  I think this is the path of life.  Here’s to the second week of yoga challenge.  Much love.

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