I think the problem was people. This whole time it was them and their stretchy pants.
I tried going to a studio once. A couple of times actually. Wooden floors, water bottles, rubber tree plants and all that. I tried it and it just didn’t vibe with me. I tried to like it, I wanted to like it, but it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t feeling the benefits at all and I wasn’t feeling good after class. You know the first time you try a new adventure you feel anxious or nervous, or that I-just-don’t-want-to-go feeling, but then you go and you’re grateful you stepped out and made the trip? Yeah … that didn’t happen. I didn’t feel great about it, I thought eh … that was all right. I guess.
Not the feeling you’re supposed to get.
So I forgot about it and thought, this is not for me, never gonna be for me, and that’s fine. It’s not for everyone.
Fast forward 15 years later in the middle of a world-wide pandemic and here I am with my own yoga mat and blocks. And you know what? I look forward to the Zen vibes it gives me afterward, of the feeling I get when I’m done, like I just did something good for my body.
It took a pandemic to make me friends with yoga.
Everyone looked to different ways to stay healthy or find an outlet during these tough times. Those of you who had home gyms, swimming pools, and all that … good for you. Some of us had to get creative with crack of dawn outdoor schedules so as not to run into anyone, inside strength training or boxing. But then I realized I needed something quiet, something that gave me the same feeling as swimming in the pool. That relaxing vibe, the calming effect of the water on my skin, even though I was working on my muscles at the same time. And since the pool was no longer an option I thought … I’ll try it one more time.
Just one more time.
Needed something additional, an outlet during the lockdowns, or stay-at-home orders. Needed something that was filling up the inner peace tank that was slowly being emptied because of the conditions and circumstances. So I came across a virtual/online opportunity and thought why not? Maybe it’ll be different.
And it was.
Most people don’t like videos or apps, they prefer the live studio classes, but apparently I’m OK with that. That whole entire vibe didn’t make it last time so why not change something around. Try it on my own terms in my own environment. 30 minutes. That’s all I needed to make a change. The same amount of time as a Schitt’s Creek, Community, or Kim’s Convenience episode.
I could do that.
And that’s when I found Denis, Ross, and Aditi.
Warrior 2, Triangle, Sun Salutations, Flow, Savasna. Yup. I was digging it and so were my legs and arms. Each class made me feel better. Started off right and each instructor had their own vibe, their own playlist featuring their personality and style. Yoga is not just happening during the woo-woo New Age music. You can strike that pose to Prince, U2, 80’s or rock. And I appreciated that.
I felt those feel-good vibes after I was done. The peace-in-the-morning feeling after the run and yoga combination, or just the yoga alone. Healing session in effect. I realized it wasn’t the yoga that was bothering me the times I tried it back in the day, it was the group of people, the music, the whole vibe. It didn’t sit right with my spirit. Maybe I wasn’t in the right space to benefit from it. Or maybe the at-home style works best for people like me.
Learning a lot about boundaries, and people, the importance of good relationships and letting go of bad ones. Learning big lessons and small ones, discovering new shows on Netflix, podcasts, and good books. I’m grateful for the time with the kids, and learning to be a better parent. But one of the biggest surprises was yoga. I’m still not into tight stretchy pants, but yoga during the pandemic in sweatpants? That was a good discovery. Surprisingly good.
Buen Camino!
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The Wish Factor 