Hooked!

About 2 months ago one of my fabulous clients at the stable was getting her yoga instructor certification and needed to practice teaching someone and offered to teach me yoga.  I told her I'm super in-flexible and don't know anything, but she said that was perfect and that she needed to teach a beginner.  So, we started weekly private yoga classes and for the first time yoga was explained to me in a way that I could relate to and I loved the way my body felt afterwards.  I'm hooked.  I love it!  Last month at the barn we had an adult camp weekend and Jill came in and did a yoga class for us at the barn.  It was so fun! 

Now in addition to our weekly sessions, I practice at home and have tried going to some yoga classes on base.  I never knew yoga was such a workout!  She loaned me a book all about bio dynamics and which muscles are stretching and flexing in each pose and it is so interesting!  My yoga instructor, Jill, has made yoga feel accessible to me that I didn't need to be a "pretzel person" to benefit from yoga. 

She's at the end of her course now and asked me to answer a couple of questions:

1. What drew you to a yoga practice?

I was drawn to yoga because my doctor recommended I stretch more when I expressed my concerns that my father and grandmother have had double knee replacement surgeries.  I love running and she told me that when I was younger I may have gotten away with running without properly stretching, but as I get older stretching properly is very important to prevent injury.  I did not think yoga was for me, but Jill happened to be getting her yoga instructor certification and she offered to teach me yoga and it totally changed my mind.  I love that yoga is low impact and I can still get a great total body workout. She re-defined what I originally thought about yoga and explained things in a way that I could relate to.  I thought to be good Jill motivated me to expand my awareness, stretch, learn and pursue yoga. 

2. What do you expect to get out of it?

Through our practice together Jill has taught me to learn breathing, and correct postures and movement.  I love how yoga is a mind and body experience.  I would like to strengthen my body and bring attention to my mind and my thoughts through yoga practice.  I hope yoga helps me to gain more flexibility, especially in my hamstrings.

3. Do you feel yoga helps you "off the mat"?  How or why?

I am completely absorbed by yoga and very open to it's possibilities.  Yoga has helped me accept myself for the person I am and has helped me gain self confidence.  Yoga has helped me center myself in life, in my goals and in every day moments.  I find myself focusing on my breath and on my state of mind even off the mat.  Yoga has helped me to find joy in my bodies capabilities.

4. What would you like to learn more about in yoga?

I ride horses and I find that yoga is very similar in it's infinite possibilities.  I am open to as much knowledge as possible.  Jill has expanded my knowledge base considerably, helping me to understand biomechanics,  alignment and basic yoga principles.  Jill has also inspired me continue my self practice and grow as a person.  I will continue my yoga practice and gradually increase my strength and discipline.  I am fascinated by yoga, the principles and the fundamentals.  I will continue to learn and grow through mind, body and spirit. 

5. Where do you see your yoga practice one year from now?  5 years from now?

I hope that yoga helps be be healthy and strong in mind and body.  I believe yoga, in these 2 months, has helped me considerably in my day to day life and I love learning something new.  I can already feel my body getting stronger and less stiff.  I can only imagine, and look forward to, the positive effects of yoga over a span of a year or 5 years. I would like to gain more flexibility in my hamstrings and perhaps be able to do a handstand one day.  I've bought a mat that is supposed to last me a lifetime, so I am all set!

Can't wait till my Manduka stuff gets here!