I don't like yoga
Friday, September 7, 2012
There. I said it. You know what I do like? The idea of yoga. I love the thought of stretching and feeling calm, relaxed and focussed, which are three things I rarely allow myself to feel, particularly all at once. Hubs and I did a 10 week yoga course 2 years ago, when I was pregnant with Chanbe, and we actually quite liked it. I liked the instructor - she wasn't too hippy - and I really felt my flexibility improving, even though each week the moves would become a little more awkward.
But my friend invited me along to a yoga class the other night and I thought "why not!?" Why not? Where to do I start? The class went from 6:15-8:00pm, which you might think is great! I really got my money's worth, right? Wellllllllll. Not exactly. The first 45 minutes we did 3 different yoga "sequences", 2 of which the instructor didn't want me doing because I'm pregnant. There are 2 of us in the class who are pregnant, and she didn't offer any real alternative, other than "stand up and breathe while lifting your arms up and down." In my class 2 years ago, the instructor would always have an "alternative routine" for me, and anyone who wanted, to do, which I really appreciated. It made me feel like I was still a part of the class instead of "the big pregnant lady who can't do downward facing dog."
So that was the first 45 minutes. And what did we do for the next hour? We breathed. We sensed the air flowing through our nostrils and into our lungs. The 2 pregnant ladies were told to "feel the air make its way down to your womb, where your baby is growing." For an hour. Some of you may think this sounds amazing, but all I could think about was "I paid money for someone to talk to me about my nostrils??" Clearly, I missed the point of it all. Or rather, I get the point (dedicating time in your life to be still and present and focussed) but I just don't enjoy it.
I've gotten to a stage in my life where I don't feel like I have to pretend to like something because it's good for me, or it's cultural (like arthouse movies - BORING!) so I'm sticking with I don't like yoga. At least for now.
This made me think of an article about Gabourney Sidibe that I read a few years ago, but it made me laugh so I remember it well. It said, "You won't see Sidibe in a yoga studio anytime soon, though. "I hate yoga so much. Like, if yoga was a person, I'd stab them." :) Not that I condone violence...even imaginary violence.
If you need a pick me up, read the rest of the article: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/gabourey-sidibe-precious-interview-0210
See you soon!
That is pretty damn funny! I'll definitely check out the article! Can't wait to catch up :-)
As a long-time reader of your blog, this post makes me a bit sad for some reason. To just decide that you don't like something because of ONE bad class (especially when you had previously enjoyed it) seems out of keeping with then open-mindedness that I always associate with you (not that I claim to know you, but you know). Then again, I love and teach yoga so maybe I'm just being over-sensitive. Please give it another go sometime!
Hey there Anon, thanks for reading! You'll have to let me know if I ever move to your town so I can come and check out your class! :-) I'm afraid you are correct - I said to my friend yesterday that I really should give it another go since I got so much out of the class we took 2 years ago, even if I try somewhere different that might meet my needs a bit more. Stay tuned!