I tend to be a workout snob...which is hilarious considering the fact that I just started working out regularly my senior year in high school. I get proud and think I don't need to stretch much, or at the other end, I think I don't need rest days. A very dangerous mode of thinking, indeed. Unfortunately, my snobbery kept me from keeping up with yoga on my own. "I have XYZ more important things to be doing." In hindsight I can say that I've been lying to myself. I have thoroughly enjoyed this first week of my return to the practice of yoga. Mind and Body are very happy with my decision to take this yoga and philosophy class. Each time I laid in corpse pose at the end of the practice, I felt radiantly peaceful. I forgot how sweet that feeling is, how my mind and my body sing after a good stretching.
The other day I was studying with a friend in the library for several hours. I can't sit still for very long, so I would twist around my chair, cracking my back. (It's a nice temporary solution to my relatively sedentary studying state). I sat, studied, got up to pace, sat and studied some more, went downstairs to buy some sleep-discouraging sugar. None of that was as satisfying as the quick vinyasa I did in the most private corner I could find. A quick sun salutation and downward dog to upward dog made the sitting and studying combo bearable for longer than anything the sugar-producing manufacturers could concoct. I'm glad to say
Glad you are finding ways to integrate yoga into your life already. It is much better than sugar.
ReplyDeleteWow, I admire your willingness to embrace yoga with such eagerness. That's funny that you did a downward facing dog in the library. I'm in the library right now, and my back is starting to get kinda tight. I should probably go do some yoga poses. Maybe somewhere on the third floor...
ReplyDeleteI totally understand where you're coming from with the whole workout snob thing (which is also hilarious because I gave up working out regularly when I got to college). I never warm-up or cool down, and I had the mindset that my muscles would naturally stretch out as I worked out anyway so why bother. However, I'm glad to have been proven wrong by this class. I never thought I would find it so relaxing as you've pointed out.
ReplyDeleteTyler, I love that you did yoga in the library! Way to go, girl! I have found that even just sitting up straighter (pushing my ribs out, pulling my pelvis up, rolling my shoulders back, etc.) has helped with the back pain that comes from being in class. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to sneak off and do yoga in the library, also!
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way as Rachel, my working out became increasing less frequent once I got to college, but good for you for sticking with it! And way to go for doing yoga in the library. I'm the only one in Jones right now so I might break out the corpse pose if I stay any longer. But I'm so glad yoga is doing so well for you.
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