Mega Yoga

When I woke up today I was very tempted to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep instead of going to the 2-hour yoga workshop I had signed up for.  I’ve been feeling like I was on the verge of a cold and my energy level was flagging.

But instead I had a quick breakfast, fed Jake, and headed into DC, not knowing fully what to expect in a very long open-level class.  I watched the studio fill up with people who had never considered going to the “gentle” classes I normally attend.  They were mostly much younger and full of energy.

One of the greatest strengths of a yoga teacher is being able to teach a multi-level class and have everyone feel like it was geared to his or her unique abilities.  That meant that for today’s classes, many poses had options.  There were often 3 or 4 different possibilities for a pose.

I had fun just looking around.  As most people flipped up into their perfect handstands, I did my shoulder stand, feeling happy that I could still manage to get myself into it.  I watched some pretty awesome poses over the course of those 2 hours.

After about an hour, down dog started to seem like a resting pose.  With lots of modifications, I managed to get through the two-hour class that systematically worked most every part of our bodies.  I settled into shavasana with a strong feeling of contentment and a new level of appreciation for my body.

I walked out of this gratitude workshop with the sudden realization that my cold symptoms had totally disappeared.  I was now ready to enjoy family and feasting over the next few days.