I Am a Yogi - Taking a Deep Breath

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape!" author unknown

On Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, if I am not attending an Omnilore class, or taking my mother to a Doctor's appointment, or dusting light bulbs, I like to attend the yoga class at the local YMCA.  This is not the yoga seen in an infomercial at 2:00 am in the morning with all the young, tanned bodies striking pretzel-like contortions and bouncing quarters off their firm, toned skin as jazzy music plays in the background.  While this class does have some vibrant youthful bodies, most of us are women "of a certain age" who appreciate the pace and methods of our instructor, Denise.  This is not power yoga...I don't even break a sweat.  It is Hatha yoga, slow and gentle with the focus on the breath.  So today, as I slowly pushed my limbs and muscles to reach and my lungs to expand, my body sighed a delicious "yes!"

Yoga Class

I have been practicing yoga for over 30 years.  I began taking classes in a local high school gym as part of an Adult Education Program and then progressed to a regular class when I treated myself to a local gym membership.  Over the years I have come to rely on the physical and mental effects of this exercise...and there certainly are benefits to my aging body.  My muscles remain fit, flexible and limber.  I am able to retain my balance as I climb about in my garden.  I know it does not provide cardio exercise but I feel more youthful.  All this is good.  However, I think the greatest benefit is the mental one.

All the lessons of yoga apply to life:

• There is no competition in yoga; each person focuses on her own body.
• Listen to your body, and if there is pain, back off.
• Stop when you have had enough.
• Don't worry if you are not doing it perfectly; each time you try, you benefit and move forward.
• You are right where you are supposed to be.
• Do not listen to the noise in your head; quiet your mind and focus on the task at hand.
• Relax, let go, relax, let go.
• It is all about balance...and never force anything.
• Don't just do something...sit there!
• When things get tough...all you have to do is breathe.

The dessert of the yoga class comes at the end when I stretch out, lying on my back on my mat in "Savasana," the corpse pose, a pose of total relaxation.  Sometimes the instructor will talk us through a guided mediation, or if not, I just retreat deep inside, into that safe, special place where I sit with my spirit and my overwhelming sense of gratitude for my life.  I have no desire to retreat to a yoga mountaintop but I appreciate having the tools to tune out distractions and be recharged to engage in the busy world.