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.