Ashtanga and the Downward Dog

For whatever reason, I have always been intimidated by Yoga - perhaps it's the fact that most yoga-lovers are human pretzels, and I am about as flexible as an icicle. Maybe it's also because I just never saw myself as your typical yoga gal - a tall, thin, zero-body-fat person (who can make spandex look like a wonderful fashion statement) casually toting their yoga mat on their back, as though it were a fixture or a new appendage. I think it also has to do with the fact that the Yoga lexicon is completely foreign to me - you try saying "Vrksasana", "Bhujangasana", "Jathara Parivartanasana" or "Ardha Sirsasana" ten times fast.

I have a lot of friends who have really gotten into the yoga craze. And, the refreshing part is that they are people just like me! So, one of these friends convinced me to join him at yoga class today. And, I was actually looking forward to it all day. He lent me a yoga mat, I put my hair up in one of those stupid ponytails on the top of my head, and we made our way to the O2 Yoga Studio in Somerville.

I was definitely nervous when we first arrived. I found a comfortable, non-visible spot in the back of the room (WAYYY in the back) and waited for the instructor to arrive. I tried to look like I "fit-in" but was very intimated by the other class members who were "stretching" (ie. twisting and contorting in ways that were painful to watch). So, I sat quietly and watched, casting furtive glances at my neighbor.

An hour and a half later I had successfully navigated my first yoga class. And, I gotta be honest. I really enjoyed it. A lot. I haven't felt this good in a long time. Don't get me wrong - it was hard work, and I know my body will hurt tomorrow in places that I didn't even know exist. Apart from the phyiscal challenges, it was such a relaxing experience. I left the class feeling so mellow and utterly chellaxed, as my cousin would say. I am heading back there on Thursday to do a yoga class during lunch.