I am happy to post that I have made it halfway through the yoga challenge. I also finally made one five mile run this week. Early in the week, I came down with a cold. I wasn’t sure I was going to continue to make it through the yoga challenge. I was able to go to an easier class and not do handstand that day. Aside from sleeping twelve hours last Monday, I am convinced that it is the yoga that moved the cold through my body so fast. It just goes to show how much the lymphatic system works and flushes while doing yoga.
My energy has continued to stay surprisingly high. Another odd thing is happening. I don’t want to speak to soon, but I may be becoming addicted to this lovely thing called yoga. I have just never felt so good. I keep wondering if I am loosing weight. I don’t necessarily think so, but my body is definitely changing. I feel so much stronger. Before, when I was only doing two classes a week I wasn’t getting this energy boost that I have now been experiencing. I am starting to feel possibilities in my body that I didn’t think were possible for me. I am not particularly flexible. Many yoga poses are very difficult for me and quite often painful. But a little tweak here, some teacher assistance there, an honest effort, and it just might happen.
Another thing that is starting to happen is that I am beginning to feel a sense of community. I see similar faces every day at the studio. I see the same teachers as well. People are just so friendly at this yoga studio. It makes me feel right at ease and truly non-competative.
That said, I have picked the theme for the week. I think it was best quoted by Baron Baptiste when he said, “The prize is in the process”. The goal is not to achieve a certain posture, or even to attend a number of classes. The true and real goal is to honor ourselves by respecting our process. It is that time when we forget the goal that we achieve peace and grace. It is when we loose ourselves in the moment of something that it’s beauty becomes apparent. If only for a fleeting moment. I know there is a word for this in yoga, but it is not coming to me now. Grace. Ah yes, grace. I told my husband that my New Year’s resolution was to be more graceful in my life. I said this, but really had no idea how to get there. Now I see, and I have to thank the universe for responding to my call and leading me down yoga lane.
I just have to end with a special thanks to the Sunday morning class I attended. It was my first Anusara yoga class. The owners of the studio led the class by playing an instrument known as the Harmonium. It is beautifully made to help balance the tones that the human voice can make. We sang to it. It was truly beautiful. Then with my heart open, I actually was ready to do handstand (with assistance of course). Ha!
