Yoga 1. A Hindu discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity. 2. A system of exercises practiced as part of this discipline to promote control of the body and mind.
Up until a few weeks ago, I would have respectfully disagreed with Mr. Webster’s Dictionary–nothing about my prior experiences with yoga made me feel spiritually insightful or tranquil. More or less, yoga made me cranky. “Man, for all the stretching, I could be on a treadmill burning calories/grocery shopping/checking PerezHilton.com for the millionth time today” was more my reaction to yoga. I don’t know if yoga has changed (but being a 5,000 year practice, I doubt it) or I have changed but I am ready for yoga in my life.
I took a “Sculpt” Yoga class at Core Power Yoga Gold Coast last week and was sore for 3 days. Using weights while doing yoga poses forced me to use my core for stability and to get those 3lb suckers in the air. Wowza. Did I mention the room was heated to 90 degrees? Yeah, I should have looked into that before blowing drying my hair and putting on makeup before class. I still had my preconceived notion of yoga just being some stretches and didn’t figure I would sweat at all. Wrong. I felt like I had really used and, dare I say, connected to my body. I went back a few days later for “Hot Power Fusion”. I have done hot room yoga before but the kind folks at Core Power Yoga weren’t kidding with the word “hot”. 105 degrees and an hour and fifteen minutes later, I had contorted my body in ways I didn’t know it could go, centered my thoughts and sweated glowed more than I ever have in my life. And I felt amazing! All of that “you feel so centered” and “you become so calm” I had heard before about yoga was true! If I had walked out the door and been hit by a cab, I think I would have probably said “Thanks, can I have more?”, that’s how centered and calm I felt. It wasn’t pretty, that class. All that heat and sweat made my poses extra slippery and slidey and I probably looked really silly. But the opportunity to take an hour of my day to spend some time with me–the me that has nothing to do with any outside force–and become more aware of my body and what’s good and less aware of the the excess thoughts I have or things I am worried about or if global warming is really going to keep Chicago from being so freaking cold…well, I would say that opportunity is pretty stellar and one I am going to continue to take.
Namaste.
High Five of the Day: I was unaware that NHL players were also supermodels but after seeing the Nashville Predators in their swanky suits shopping downtown, I am considering becoming a hockey fan.