Be Present

A few days ago I was finally able to get to that Gentle Yoga class I had mentioned after attending my one and only meditation class so far. What prevented me from just going back the very next time either gentle yoga or mediation was offered you ask? Good questions. Well, sometimes, I just feel really cruddy. Sometimes the kids get sick and having two of us here is a priority or just getting everyone settled in for the night as early as possible wins out. I was hoping to be able to go with a friend and lots of people are busy this time of year. It is especially difficult because this particular class tends to be at dinner time. So having the opening to go, align with someone else having that opening, and everything that needs to happen at the one hour that the Gentle Yoga class is offered is kind of a crap shoot. Finally though, I was able to make it all work as was a friend.

Again, so thankful to have a friend to go with me for my first class. She has done yoga before and was at the meditation class with me. Such a comfort since again, I am jumping clear out of my comfort zone to try to find something I can do to help my body and mind. I do really love the studio that I have gone to now for both. Very relaxed and comfortable. For some reason I was afraid places like that would be pretentious, and I can’t speak for others, but I do feel very welcome and like they want clueless people like me to join them and give it a try. Even better, it is very conveniently located for me.

The instructor was great. Obviously, I don’t have much to compare to for yoga instructors, but I enjoyed her way of leading the class. This particular night there were only four of us attending and it seemed like one person was a regular and another was an in between being a regular and myself being new. I remembered my mat which was a big step! They have all the other props you might need available to use. I did almost leave my mat there. Chemo brain anyone?

The actual class was very good and fit my needs perfectly since it is designed to be for people to strengthen and stretch safely and mindfully. I think the exact description is for prenatal, postnatal, seniors, beginners, people returning from injury or those just looking for a gentler yoga. Yup, I knew it was for me when I saw it. I didn’t feel like I was pushing myself too hard while I was there. It was enough of a push to feel like I was doing something, but it wasn’t painful or too strenuous. A good balance for me at this point. I definitely felt like I was using muscles that were long ignored and that was confirmed for a day or two after. I so wish I had found my way there while I was pregnant. I can only imagine the benefits. Having danced for my entire childhood, I was fairly flexible most of my life and I would love to get some of that back.

I really felt like the instructor was speaking to me a couple of times when talking about quieting the mind, being present, and letting go of the body during the movements. I know she was not talking to me specifically, it was just exactly what I needed to hear and remind myself of constantly. Not just during the class, but every moment of the day as I work to keep focused on the here and now and what I can control. The future terrifies me and is obviously out of my control and a huge unknown. Learning how to be present in the present is going to be a skill I need to master to get through my future. During the class, something about the breathing made me a little woozy at one point, but it passed quickly. I had a more difficult time quieting my mind and relaxing at the end as compared to the meditation class even though the ending was quite similar to the start of the meditation class I attended. It is really interesting to me that the movements and breathing can energize certain parts of your body and that you can truly feel that. The power of the mind and the body is truly amazing.

As we left, a hot yoga class was getting started and that felt amazing as the room warmed up toward the end of our class in preparation. Still, I would worry it was too much of a petri dish for me at this point. A cool uncrowded class is more what I need. Hoping to get back and keep my mind and body on track to heal and align themselves as I continue this journey.