Final Practice Journal: My Yoga Experience

I honestly cant believe its the end of the semester. When I first decided to take this class I really didn't know what to expect. Ironically, the summer before I started going to some classes in my hometown. I found that the classes I attended were very low key and easy. So , I thought I was pretty prepared to start to go weekly. The entire semester practicing yoga was an interesting one. although I went to mainly the same studio, I feel as though I got different taste of yoga styles and how different instructors teach. I tried hot yoga, yin yoga, ashtanga, bikram and even some meditation. By taking this class I was thrown into a world I truly didn't know existed. I was very much in the mindset that yoga wasn't more than a hour long class that you wouldn't even break a sweat in. I didn't realize there was ritual, history and philosophy behind the practice.
Concerning the rituals behind practice, I didn't really think there were any before I started to go and really take note. Before every class the instructor would just thank us for being there and ask us to only do what we felt comfortable with. As a group we would take a moment to have a couple of deep breaths together and unwind. At the end of each practice we would say om together and bow while having hands at hearts center. These rituals were subtle and not forced but they made a difference. We were unified as a group when all voices said "om". As I stated in my fourth journal about rituals, " I would have to say there is some ritual to my yoga experiences. Even within the very class itself there are rituals we follow and the positions we practice seem to be ritual. I think the ritual shapes the experience by making it seem structured and some formality to it." The rituals that yoga follows is a good set up for those on their path to enlightenment. 
When concerning the physical side to yoga Its a  lot more difficult than I ever expected. I didn't realize that I would break a sweat as much as I did and thats not even taking into consideration that hot yoga classes I attended. As we learned more in class it was explained that by sweating, I wasn't properly breathing and being balanced. I was exacerbating myself and was straining my body. When I became more conscious about my breath techniques yoga became easier. I found myself getting stronger as the weeks went by and by the end of my practice was able to hold poses for quite a long time. Something I really respected concerning the physical part of yoga is that every yoga teacher made it a point to make us push our bodies but only in a safe way. They didn't want anyone to get hurt and would show different ways to use blocks and straps to practice in the safest  and most comfortable way. If I tried a pose and was in pain I would adjust myself till I got comfortable. In my eleventh yoga blog i talked about how the body is used in conjunction with spirituality, "The role of the body, in my experience, is a vessel for your spirit which will try to reach enlightenment. We have learned in class that the goal is to stop being reincarnated in a human body and to be a spirit for eternity. In class we practice to be fully aware. We want to be in the moment and use our bodies to maintain proper breath and be tranquil. I know that when I practice I try to forget my body when a we are meditating. I choose to breathe and feel myself leaving my body so I can experience something more divine."
An ongoing theme that I noticed throughout the semester is yoga and community. This is quite a juxtaposition, or so i thought. Yoga seems to be something that is so solitude. In fact yogas renounce life in a community and go off by themselves to practice in solitude for years, yet here, we focus on making it a communal practice. By having girls yoga nights and yoga and wine tasting. It mad me question whether practice that is meaningful can be done in a group setting. If the goal is to reach enlightenment, why do we need others to be a distraction. If yoga is supposed to be about an internal goal, why must we do it together? I believe this is one of the many ways that yoga has evolved into more of a social gathering than a spiritual experience in the west. In my own experience, When i went to practice I didn't like it being a community. I liked practicing alone and not trying to mingle too much. Since I was new I definitely felt like an outsider at time which defeats the very purpose. We are their for ourselves but just happening to be practicing side by side.
Is yoga medicine? Thats something that was brought up a lot. Nowadays any doctor can recommend some light exercise with some good benefits and mention yoga. after a semester worth of research I do believe that yoga is good for the body. There is an overwhelming amount of testimonials where people say that yoga has helped with their chronic pain, stress and anxiety. Through my own experience I can say this semester was one of my most relaxed ones yet. Could it have anything to do with my weekly practice? I cant be sure but I did find that my hour f practice usually was a peaceful one. I t was silent and I felt my body relax as I became more flexible and relaxed.
Meditation was the last type of practice that we did during the week in class. This was something that I just couldn't get into. I found myself falling asleep and not really gaining anything from. Although I do understand how yoga and meditation tie together with the breath work and being truly in the moment. I am glad I took this class. I feel as thought it educated me on a topic I normally would have known nothing about.

Thirteenth Yoga Experience

Is yoga taught as a spiritual practice? How is spirituality defines and expressed in your practice space(s)?


I do believe that sometimes yoga is taught as a spiritual practice. Between the meditation and the respect for a single guru I believe that a lot of yoga can be mistaken as either spiritual or religious. I think that spirituality believes that there is a greater power and greater wealth of knowledge and I think through yoga, the dedicated yoga strives for enlightenment. I would have to say through my own practice I haven't been really exposed to anything spiritual but in my own way, during the quiet moments of breathing I use it to reflect on my own catholic life. 

Twelfth Yoga Experience

How is pranayama taught/practiced in your practice space(s)? What is the purpose of breath work in your practice space? Is breath the "focus"of your practice? Explain why it is, or is not.


Pranayama or breath work has been incorporated in most of my practices. it usually depends on the teacher but I have found a lot of emphasis on breath in most of my practices and I think it adds to the benefits of yoga. Its not secret that breath work helps calm you and ease anxieties. I like how it keeps me grounded when I practice yoga. I think we often hold our breath when we do difficult things but I have been learning to breath through things. Although breath is not the focus of my practices I do find that my heart rate is able to be more stable and I stay cooler for longer. By regulating my breath and paying attention to it I am able to make smoother transitions with each position.

Eleventh Yoga Experience

What is the role of the body? How is the body approached and how is the body seen as a vehicle for experience of the divine?

The role of the body, in my experience, is a vessel for your spirit which will try to reach enlightenment. We have learned in class that the goal is to stop being reincarnated in a human body and to be a spirit for eternity. In class we practice to be fully aware. We want to be in the moment and use our bodies to maintain proper breath and be tranquil. I know that when I practice I try to forget my body when a we are meditating. I choose to breathe and feel myself leaving my body so I can experience something more divine. I can personally say that there have been some times when I have been very enlightened. In the sense that I was focusing on nothing worldly but something part of the bigger picture. I think when practicing in the right atmosphere and in the right mind everyone can experience something like this.

Tenth Yoga Experience/ In class meditation

Reflecting on the semester to this point, I can think of two distinct classes at grow yoga that were very meditation based. And, those two classes stand out as my favorite. Yoga was used as a form of mediation to take us on a more spiritual than physical journey. For most of the class I was on my mat laying down with a bolster under my head and my blanket on me. It was explained as being in the moment and being aware of where I was spiritually. The instructor told us that this was time to focus on ourselves. Focus on the calmness and tranquility around us. She did some guided imagery and told us to breath in and out and focus on now and bring ourselves back every time our minds started to wander. She spoke in a slow and calm tone and I noticed my breathing starting to slow and a lightness in my body. I was totally into myself and not really aware of my physical body but more on what was really important in life. I started to think about what I was grateful for and grateful for the beautiful day that was laid before me. I was genuinely happier after. And that how I felt after our meditation on Thursday! Our meditation in class wasnt ideal as I was laying against the wall in a well lit room with a huge crowd but it did allow me to self reflect. I found myself calm and ready and in control of my emotions. I had to take a big test right after and felt like I was in the right mindset to do so. 

Ninth Yoga Experience

For this weeks yogas practice I did beginner yin yoga. This week I wanna reflect on how my body has changed and is still changing. When I first started yoga I was very weak and could not hold many poses for too long. I would have classified myself as being really un flexible and had really poor stamina. As each week passes and I attend my Friday Class I find myself getting stronger. I am getting stronger and able to hold each pose longer than I was the previous week. This positive feedback keeps me coming back to my class and makes me look forward to see how my body is developing. Beyond making the physical body stronger I have found myself letting my guard down and allowing myself to be fully present when my class closes their eyes and meditates. I am able to finally fully relax and let the weeks stress leave me as I prepare to practice. The community that practices helps, In the beginning I expected everyone to be very judgemental but I have not noticed that at all. I can see that everyone is there for themselves and sends out nothing but good vibes. As i Continue to practice I can see how yoga centers and ground people, I find myself calmer during the weeks and more physically balanced as I practice.

Eighth Yoga Experience

In the context of my practice space I would define yoga as the practice of making a connection. I feel that each time I go to a class to practice that connectivity seems to be the most common theme. Whether it be a connection to the teacher, so you let them in and allow them to show you the way, a connection to others in the class and realize as we synchronize breathe that we are all here, in this moment for the same thing, or even a connection to ourselves, being present and fully aware of our being in this moment, forgetting everything that has previously happened and accepting who we are in the here and now. Yoga support all three of these aspects of connection within the walls of the studio and it is something i have increasingly noticed happening with me. As I practice , each time I found myself letting in the teacher and trusting that each time they adjust me that they are looking out for me, that in that split second we are connecting. I also find myself trusting myself more and allowing my body to do what it feels like it needs to do.

Seventh Yoga Experience/ Sivananda Yoga

My seventh yoga experience was also our in class Sivananda Yoga experience. I really liked this experience and liked the repetition of this practice. A lot of the poses I wasn't able to do like the headstands but I did liked how we spent quite some time on our breathing. I also liked the repitition of the practice. Each time I felt like I performed the pose better than the last. I felt a lot better after this practice and during I felt like I actually was controlling my breathing and heat. I noticed I didn't sweat this time around and was very impressed by that. 
This yoga practice prompted me to think about how common place yoga has become. Yoga that we see today isn't anything like the "traditional culture" that we have been learning about in class. Its less spiritual and more commercial. Yoga has morphed to fit the "pop culture" standards and is now the thing to do for mainly young girls. You cant walk into a store without seeing a yoga section and clothing brands are getting away with murder by selling yoga leggings for $85. I have also see events for older women that incorporate yoga and wine which seem to go together a lot more these days than yoga and spirituality. I think its very interesting to see how yoga has transformed to fit the western culture.

Sixth Yoga Experience

My sixth yoga experience has had to have been my favorite because it was just so relaxing. I went to an early 8am class at grow yoga. I was set for yin yoga but since it was so cold out this Friday they decided to put yin yoga in the heated room. At first I wasn't so happy with this because i didn't want to sweat but since it was yin and not power yoga the practice was much slower. This weeks practice really focused on slow yet precise movements. I spent most of the time on the floor and stretching in certain positions and held them for 3/4 minutes. This is exactly what i needed after a long week, a calm and soothing practice. For yin yoga I actually liked being in the heated room, I felt like it calmed me and made me almost sleepy. I was able to be in my own thoughts and did feel a spiritual peace in my practice. 

I believe yoga is seen as healing at my practice because the yoga instructors emphasis that certain stretches and poses are good for the hips or for the GI system and that the heat and breathing can be good to clean your impurities. I also think they advocate for spiritual and mental health by always reminding us to leave the week outside the room and to be present in the here and now and only look to the positive in the future. All these aspects are part of the in class practice and I do like to hear it. I like to know that there is A purpose and benefit for each posture and I have to say that I do feel pretty amazing after I get out of hot yoga or even regular yoga. This week I felt so well rested and other weeks I feel super energized.

Fifth Yoga Experience

My yoga experiences have truly challenged my way of thinking so far. I didnt realize how much the enviroment and the people would shape the practice but along with the prompt for this week , I do believe that the practice space promotes a sense of community. When I do yoga every Friday morning, no matter what the class , its always intimate and everyone seems to know everyone. I think those who practice find a kinship with the people around them who are on the same journey. I have observed that there are women who are as young as me and women who are 50+ that come and practice yet everyone is friendly and respects each other. The dimly lit yoga rooms that smell like burned incense create the calming atmosphere that is needed. When I go, although I don't really know people, I do feel like a part of community. We sweat together, we struggle together and we all are there to just feel better. No one is trying to impress anyone, Yoga is simultaneously a practice to isolate yourself in your own thoughts and breathing but is so amazing to practice solely but around others. 

Ashtanga Yoga

This week we practiced Ashtanga yoga. I would have to say that it is my favorite yoga we practiced. I felt that the instructor we had was also the best. She really emphasized and made a point to teach us all how to breath. I was very impressed by her knowledge and her own physical abilities. She was the first yoga instructor that actually got on the ground and would do the postures entirely with us and that made all the difference for me. The sun salutations both challenged my body and my frame of mind. I felt better after the practice and would practice Ashtanga again. I liked how all the postures were a challenge for the body but would leave you feeling empowered. I think thats a lot of what the appeal of yoga is. Going along with the prompt of the week, I do feel like this practice space promoted a sense of community. Although it isn't ideal to practice is a cramped classroom I do believe it creates of community for class. Especially this week when we practiced in a big circle. The arrangement made everyone seem equal. No one was in the front or the back, just one big circle. This community of students/classmates has a purpose for the practice, it is all of us learning together and experiencing something new together. Its cool to see all of us open up and even laugh at ourselves when we fall or cant do a pose correctly. It humanizes the practice and shows that its not about being perfect rather the effort and what you take away from the practice. The community of students makes me feel welcomed and unjudged with my yoga practice

Iyengar Yoga

In class this week we practiced Iyengar yoga. Much to my surprise it gave off a totally different vibe from Bikram yoga we practiced the previous week. The instructor gave off a very calm vibe and seemed to be very knowledgable in her practice. I liked how she instructed us to do the poses in the most comfortable way we could and how she came around to help us if we were struggling. The use of the props also made this practice easier than the Bikram yoga. It was a much slower pace and I honestly feel like this class was much more enjoyable. The instructor focused on a lot of breathing techniques that seemed ritual in her practice. I would honestly do another Iyengar class and would recommend it to others.

Fourth Yoga Experience

This week for my yoga experience I went to grow yogas power hour. Once again it was hot yoga and although I thought it would be easier second time around, it was not. I sweated and struggled but I have notice how energized I am afterwards and how I starts to not notice the heat as much. Each tim I am surprised by how long I can hold some poses and how I am pushing my body to the limit. I would have to say there is some ritual to my yoga experiences. Even within the very class itself there are rituals we follow and the positions we practice seem to be ritual. I think the ritual shapes the experience by making it seem structured and some formality to it. I do like how the poses are repeated in a series of three because I believe it allows for some mastery. I look forward to continue my practice.

Third Yoga Experience

As I had previously stated in my Bikram yoga reflection I was very unsure about hot yoga but this Friday for my weekly yoga practice I made the awful mistake of waking up too late and missing the early Yin yoga class. I was left with no alternative other than to go to a power yoga class that was held in a heated room. I was so nervous about this and didn't know if I would be able to do "power hour" to begin with, let alone in a heated room. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the class. I went to the 9:30 class at Grow yoga with Lou Fermonte. There were a lot of people there for such n early time and everyone "seemed" to know exactly what they were doing. Although I did have to watch other for a lot of the poses I felt as though I kept up. In the beginning I noticed the heat  a lot and almost felt as though I was having trouble breathing but as the time went on and I was sweating and doing all the yoga sequences I noticed that it bothered me less. The class was faster paced and often I felt like I was lagging behind but when I was finished I had a sense of accomplishment. i was proud of myself for keeping up and surviving my first hot yoga class. I also noticed I felt super energized after. I stretched my body a lot and expect to feel sore in the morning but I am glad I went to this class. 

To answer the question, I do believe Yoga is framed as more than just exercise. As we have learned in class there is a certain level of spirituality associated with yoga and I do believe the instructor try to bring this into their classes. All the instructors I have had classes with talk about accepting each others spirits and finding a calm within. Why not zumba or running? well those exercises seem to be sort of mindless. You go through the motions but your mind is someplace else, yoga forces you to be in the moment and to enjoy life right now. 

Bikram Yoga

This week in Yoga East Meets West we practiced Bikram yoga. First off, I was pretty nervous about this class. Partly because we were instructed to do our research about what Bikram Yoga is before the actual class. So, I had plenty of time to find out that it is fast paced class that is done in heated rooms. Thankfully since we were in a stockton classroom, the room we were practicing in couldn't be made to be 100 degrees. Never the less, I did sweat. When I was doing my research I started to have some preconceived notions about Bikram yoga because the founder, Bikram seemed like a terrible man. Yet, the class was sort of enjoyable. I would never go out of my way to do another one because it just wasn't my style but I did like that some of the poses pushed you and were repetitive. The instructor gave us some backstory on how he came to practice and it was interesting to hear how a lot of his body aches and pains started going away when he started this style of yoga. I think if this wasn't one of my first yoga classes then maybe it would have been easier for me but I did find a lot of the class challenging. I am glad we were given this opportunity to have a actual Bikram Instructor come to stockton because honestly I don't think it would have been anything I would normally encounter.

Second Yoga Experience

For this weeks yoga class I decided to shake things up and go to the studio I went to during the summer back home. Since I was going home for the weekend I figured I would save my practice and go to Yoga Peace Kula. I love this studio for many reason but mostly because it breaks the mold of the typical americanized studio we have been talking about. Yoga Peace Kula is a non for profit yoga studio and tries to make all classes accessible for single moms, college students and anyone else on a fixed income. They aim to focus on the practice and not over pricing classes. The classes are "pay what you can" and keep it very anonymous with a donations box in which you can put whatever you can before or after the class. They welcome drop ins, which is how I started. The classes have always had a diverse group of people, ranging from young to old, physically fit and some overweight participates. None of that matters really. They focus on the practice and how to make the most comfortable environment. This week I went to the mixed level vinyasa from 9:30-10:45 with Amy Budinich as the instructor. I really liked going to the mixed level vinyasa because it pushed me out of my comfort zone. Some of the poses were a bit more difficult and more weight bearing, they were also held for longer. In this class we really focused on connecting our breathing to our movements.

What made my practice a "sacred space" was the vibe that was given off by everyone there including the teacher. Everyone had really positive energy that they were giving off and made an effort to keep the place calm and quite. There was no conversation going on that didn't pertain to the here and now. The lights were dimmed and calm and soothing music was being played in the background. At the end the instructor ever burned some incense which brought another one of our senses to the forefront. I really enjoyed my practice and look forward to next week.

First Yoga Experience

This Friday I attended a yoga class for my weekly "yoga east meets west" requirement. It was not my first ever yoga class though. This past summer I wanted to try something new so I thought yoga classes would be interesting. This yoga experience was alike and unalike my other experience. Here in Galloway I went to Grow Yoga, a studio right down the road. I went to the 8am-9am Yin Yoga and Meditation class taught by Tara Van Ness. It was my first time there and I was very warmly greeted and shown around. The studio was very beautiful and did give off the "wealthy, white happy woman" vibe we were learning about in class. Never the less I enjoyed my experience. Yin yoga and meditation was a slower paced class and really aimed in perfecting "asanas" or poses. Each pose was held for about three minutes and aimed at deep tissue, ligaments and joints and aimed to be restorative. I was slightly nervous for this. I didn't know if the class would be too much or if I would be unable to do some of the poses. I was very happy to find that the class was very basic. We did poses like child and rock, as well as sphinx, table and cobra. We also did butterfly and were asked to do each pose in a way that was most comfortable for us. The instructor set up a place for me with two blocks, a blanket and a bolster that helped with each pose. I made many observations in this class. I noticed there was a very calm and peaceful vibe coming from everyone in the class. It was early, but everyone genuinely wanted to be there and share their practice. Everyone was friendly and seemed to take the class at their own pace. The instructor told us to be here in the moment and leave everything else aside. She really did set the tone and I felt refreshed after the class. The dimmed lights and calming music accompanied by the incense set the perfect tone, that we were meant to spend the time focusing on ourselves. I genuinely enjoyed this first experience and look forward to expanding my knowledge. 

Yoga Experiences

Yoga East Meets West 2018

Documenting each yoga experience I have for the class.