28 June 2012

Yoga Daze

Yoga: Literal meaning of "yoke", from a root "yuj" meaning 'to join', 'to unite', or 'to attach'.

I discovered yoga in Junior High. We had to do yoga for Cross Country once a week, and while most runners loath the concept, I fell absolutely in love. I'm bendy like Gumby and getting to put my palms to the floor first try while the rest of the team struggled to hold their ankles? Made me feel like a rockstar. I then had the opportunity to take a yoga class as a Running Start student, which I liked a little less. Hatha seemed too formal, too rigid. And the constant waterfall sounds either put me to sleep or made me have to pee. After that point I would occasionally get yoga videos from the Library and would eventually come to fall even more in love with Hot Yoga. From the disgusting sweaty mess you become while on the mat to the cool clean feeling you get once you step into the shower, it was like magic. From there I taught myself.


I've watched yoga fix back problems, help a woman with MS touch her toes for the first time in her life, whip people into shape, decrease depression... so many things. It doesn't have to be insane head stand inversion yoga, it can be simple. I think the hardest part about being pregnant, especially now as I get to the "pop" part where I am my very biggest, is not being able to do as much yoga as I want. Before I found out I was expecting, I was the smallest I had been since High School, losing that? Sucks for my vanity. So in my state of waiting, I plan my comeback. And much like any comeback cliche - it's go big or go home.

I have lost what feels like all of my muscle mass, my weight is more than I feel comfortable even admitting to myself, my pants size is unmentionable, I can't breathe because all my internal organs are crowding my lungs, and it is totally 110% worth it. I am creating life. People tell me that all the time and honestly, it just makes me want to pet their face. But when I really take time to think about it? It's awesome. I wouldn't change a thing - except - I would have been much better about water, food, and working out in those first stages where all I really wanted to do was die. It is damn near impossible to think about any of those things while you're throwing up for the third time in two hour time period, but that's the most important time to do it. Go figure.

Yoga has been my workout lifeline. It calms me down when I'm overemotional (aka all the time), gives me the physical activity I desperately crave, stretches me out and makes me sore in all the right places, and just refocuses me. There is apparently a lot of controversy about doing yoga as a Christian as it has ties to Hinduism and Buddhism. People who are involved in this controversy need to take their issues to the mat. Seriously. Personally? I stay away from most of the mantras, prayers, and meditations involved with Hindu or Buddhist yoga. But that's primarily because I have my own mantras, prayers, and meditations. Yogic texts are some of the oldest in the world and while many religions have incorporated yoga into them, they cannot claim it as their own. It's just an amazing way to workout, pray, center yourself, meditate - whatever you want it to be. You are meant to make it entirely your own. So I do.

As I get all stoked to get more into yoga than ever before, I have discovered several inspiring people, videos, websites to keep me motivated. Yogis Anonymous: $15 a month for unlimited live and recorded class access in your living room? It cannot be beat. They even have rotating free videos so you can check them out and see if it's for you! Damn Good Yoga: Sometimes new age-y for my taste, but excellent insights into the world of yoga and various asanas (poses). Briohny Smyth: She's got moves. This is my post natal goal, smooth inversion ashtanga (the partner yoga is cute, but I doubt I could get Marko to do it with me without making me laugh).


It helps my sanity. Doing even 10 minutes of yoga when I have a spare minute makes my whole world slow to an acceptable pace. If you do a pre/post natal class on Yogis Anonymous, there are often moms in the classes with little babies lying on blankets in front of their mats. I think it's possibly the most precious thing I have ever seen. I am so excited to see Critter there next to me while I get my practice on. Currently the little one does not appreciate when I do too much yoga and protests by occupying my lower ribcage for the rest of the morning/afternoon/evening. I think it's cute, even if slightly uncomfortable.

All for yoga and yoga for all.

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