This Yoga thing is awesome. Especially for someone who is as perpetually high strung as I am, it forces me to focus on the moment and not plan for every minute that's coming my way. I actually breathe easier, get more oxygen in and am engulfed by this rather nice feeling of wellness.
What makes this place even better, is that amidst the 30 odd choices of sessions they have everyday, about 2 are Bollywood dance lessons. And nothing, as you well know, helps release inhibitions better than group dancing to zesty Bollywood numbers.
My issue with partying is that even if I'm having fun listening to the changing music, after an hour or so the 'shake-hand-in-air-shake-leg-hip-in-coordination' routine starts to get rather boring, and the joy starts to wear off. (Unless of course the alcohol has kicked in by now).
But this class is everything partying is not :D There's obviously no alcohol to simulate the fake high, and there's a series of DIFFERENT seeming steps that you get to do with everyone else. You fumble together, you trip together. And when the master does a particularly long winded step that's straight out of a run-around-the-tree movie scene, you laugh together. :-)
And yes, there's the occassional Hermione in class who picks up every step as soon as it's taught and then flaunts it shamelessly to lesser mortals like yours truly, but every class must have its Hermione no?
The fact that many many muscles are now making their presence felt (rather emphatically at that) after many years of being practically non existent, was of course, expected. I plan to stay all Zen like and Yogic about it though (barring the occassional whimper as I stand, sit, walk or God forbid, climb the stairs).
Indeed, it's a good life.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
The good, the bad and the ugly...
The good: I cannot feel that numb pain in my arms anymore.
The bad: It probably IS the pain from my just initiated yoga sessions that is overwhelming any other pain, and hence creating the illusion of previous pains having vanished.
Not to mention the mental agony of feeling like an utter loser with Chinese aunty next to me breezily bending over and touching her toes WHILE smiling at the world. Why do I not have nice stretchy flexi limbs like that elastigirl, say?
The ugly: My attempt to vent pent up anger through yoga came to a disastrous end today when I emerged angrier than ever at the instructor who in his misplaced enthusiasm to run us through as MANY asanas as possible conducted them SO quickly that we spent at least 8 of 20 counts per asana transitioning from the previous one into the current one.
I swear I would've walked out mid class (it isn't exceptional, given how many bad movies I've walked out of) except the rules said something about respecting the master and not walking out midway yada yada blah. I had to be content with muttering below my breath, which as you know is just not fulfilling enough. Alas.
Notes to the instructor from today:
1. If you start off on that "Inhale Exhale" chant, then either keep it going so our lungs follow some semblance of rythm, OR when you pause to chatter midway TRY to start off where you left off. It's excruciating for us, your students, to have FINALLY steadied our breathing and then to hear you say "EXHALE" when we're getting ready to INHALE!!! And, calming, it is most certainly not!
2. Not everyone knows what *kapalbhati* (a form of rapid breathing that exerts the abdominal muscles and is known to have several benefits) is. The idea, I'm sure they've taught you, is to assume there are new students in every class and that not everyone is an expert. (I almost suspect you are nature's way of getting back at acronym and jargon spouting P&G type people) And to start talking midway between a rapid fire kapalbhati and then start again, in the process screwing up our inhale exhale cycle is just CRIMINAL!!!
3. I'm never coming to your class ever again. There! I hope I've made my point. (Not like you'll notice, but everyone who reads this knows. HAH!)
Ok, I'll put myself to sleep on my recently acquired habit of gruesome thriller type novel now. Good night!
The bad: It probably IS the pain from my just initiated yoga sessions that is overwhelming any other pain, and hence creating the illusion of previous pains having vanished.
Not to mention the mental agony of feeling like an utter loser with Chinese aunty next to me breezily bending over and touching her toes WHILE smiling at the world. Why do I not have nice stretchy flexi limbs like that elastigirl, say?
The ugly: My attempt to vent pent up anger through yoga came to a disastrous end today when I emerged angrier than ever at the instructor who in his misplaced enthusiasm to run us through as MANY asanas as possible conducted them SO quickly that we spent at least 8 of 20 counts per asana transitioning from the previous one into the current one.
I swear I would've walked out mid class (it isn't exceptional, given how many bad movies I've walked out of) except the rules said something about respecting the master and not walking out midway yada yada blah. I had to be content with muttering below my breath, which as you know is just not fulfilling enough. Alas.
Notes to the instructor from today:
1. If you start off on that "Inhale Exhale" chant, then either keep it going so our lungs follow some semblance of rythm, OR when you pause to chatter midway TRY to start off where you left off. It's excruciating for us, your students, to have FINALLY steadied our breathing and then to hear you say "EXHALE" when we're getting ready to INHALE!!! And, calming, it is most certainly not!
2. Not everyone knows what *kapalbhati* (a form of rapid breathing that exerts the abdominal muscles and is known to have several benefits) is. The idea, I'm sure they've taught you, is to assume there are new students in every class and that not everyone is an expert. (I almost suspect you are nature's way of getting back at acronym and jargon spouting P&G type people) And to start talking midway between a rapid fire kapalbhati and then start again, in the process screwing up our inhale exhale cycle is just CRIMINAL!!!
3. I'm never coming to your class ever again. There! I hope I've made my point. (Not like you'll notice, but everyone who reads this knows. HAH!)
Ok, I'll put myself to sleep on my recently acquired habit of gruesome thriller type novel now. Good night!
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