On yoga ...

I have thought about taking on rejection in its various forms, from dating to friendship to job searching to auditioning, and everything in between, and I think I'll do that. A friend said it might even turn into a play, which would be very cool, as I could use new topics to write about! :-) However, I'd like to talk about yoga tonight. It's probably the most beneficial thing I've taken on in a long, long time, and I'm grateful to have found it. I started Hatha (and then Gentle) Yoga a few years ago at the Boston Center for Adult Ed. It was okay, but I wasn't really committed to the practice of it back then, plus the sessions were only seven weeks, with breaks, and it was hard to get a rhythm going. (In addition, the latter was too easy for me, and I prefer Ashtanga Yoga, anyway.) When I joined the Boston Sports Club, about 18 months ago, I hesitantly began yoga again, and couldn't be more grateful. Finally, I found my stride. The classes are athletic and yet focus on breathing and modifications (at least most do), and I was privileged to have Dave be my instructor for over a year.

Under Dave's tutelage, the class and I grew increasingly proficient, and my flexibility and confidence both grew. I started letting my body do more of the work, letting the mind follow--the opposite of writing, of course, but perfect for being "in the moment"--and so my ability to undertake more difficult poses, to hold them, and to really stretch myself got better every week. Of course, some days are better than others, but you keep believing in yourself, judging only your performance, not others--actually, measuring it, rather than judging it--and you do see results over time. Sadly, Dave is not teaching at my branch anymore, but Jess is, and she's great, too. Tonight, I took George's class, and while it wasn't quite as physically challenging, it was still a good workout, and I found my flexibility and particularly my balance better than usual.

Also, I wasn't afraid to plunge in and follow him. This is so important, b/c it's the first step in my effort to take risks and not just play it safe and the same every day. Of course, yoga isn't like, say, undertaking a trip somewhere new by oneself, but it does mirror life in many ways, and is also wonderful for learning to focus and calm oneself, as well as push boundaries in safe ways, and I am very, very lucky to be able to do yoga every week. When my heel was at its worst, about two or so months ago, I had to take a week off from yoga, and when I returned, I still wasn't able to do much. I was SO concerned that I might have to take weeks off, but thankfully that wasn't the case, and in fact yoga made me feel better, not worse (unlike, say, walking, at least at the beginning of the injury, or the elliptical machine, which I can finally return to in its modified form, cousin cross-trainer). I do not take exercise for grateful, treasure the opportunity to do it, and let it teach me.

So tonight, I feel relaxed and am happy to sit with those feelings. Tomorrow night, I will begin my 12-part series on the meaning of rejection. I know you can't wait. ;-)