At the moment, I am being honest with myself and depending on my knowledge and training. So you can trust that I can remain on the right path to happiness in my health and spirituality. The key to this is there is only 1 person who can control this - ME. It's a relationship with myself.
Ok, ok, enough babbling because that is starting to sound like some psycho-babble BS.
Personal crap aside, I have to say I finally did hot yoga. Well, not Bikram Yoga like everyone else I know, but infrared yoga. Sunday, I met up with a friend at Blue Tree Yoga located in an industrial building in an art district of town (I really should have snapped some photos). Of course being me, I was there EARLY (even after making a pit stop at Tar-jay for water) because I wanted to get a good spot. Hey, it's donation yoga and that could mean swarms of people. Luckily for me, it only meant 5 people and I had a spot near the door incase I needed a quick escape.
Our Yogi was young, tiny girl who apparently just gave birth approximately 2 months ago and was performing what looked like what we called airplane as kids.
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| Photo: www.TheSecretsofYoga.com |
You'd swear this girl just turned 18. Big ups to yoga! She introduced herself and mentioned that our class would be infrared. Um, excuse but what the heck does that mean? It means she was planning to turn up the heat. As I began to panic and think of the quickest way back to my car, she reassured us first-timers that it wouldn't get much hotter than it already was in the room (currently at 75) and that your body would make most of the heat - not the room, so I stayed.
Bikram yoga studios are steamy hot the moment you walk in the room, this yoga room was bearable, comfortable. Of course, I felt as if I was having my own personal summer from the moment I entered the room (but that's been happening often) so I didn't realize there was a difference in the room temp once she adjusted the thermostat.
Unlike my one and only experience with Bikram (I lasted 2 seconds and then had to bolt because it was stifling hot and that excess heat lowers my BP), infrared yoga was enjoyable. The flow was perfect for not having been to yoga regularly since May. My warm body temp made getting into pigeon easy right off. The warrior poses were a challenge, but more because of my tight legs. I was even able to jump from downward dog to the forward fold - I've never been able to do that - I usually end up walking to that pose.
All-in-all, I thoroughly enjoyed the warm (dare I say, hot) yoga class and I'm looking forward to next Sunday (dependable). The big plus, it's a donation studio so on the days when I don't have $10 to pay, I can pay $5. I can also afford to bring my friend who is struggling a bit financially while she attends school. The yoga seemed to have her more balanced and I know she likes the practice.
Do you practice yoga? Do you find it centering? Do you feel that it helps with your daily life? Do you find it helps with your running goals or other exercise goals?
