Challenges

A schedule change has made it impossible for me to attend my normal 6am Power Vinyasa yoga class. As a substitute, I have picked up a few mid-day hatha yoga classes. The first class I attended was really a struggle for me. The pace was sloooooow ("now hold this pose for several breath cycles") and the poses were less than challenging and I was bored. I ended up finishing the class feeling more agitated and less centered than when I started.

The next time I went, the teacher actually pulled me aside, reminded me that there are different goals in different styles of practicing yoga, and encouraged me to be more "in the moment" and accept the benefits of a more "restorative" style of yoga.

During the ensuing class, I had time, during the multi-breath cycle poses, to reflect on how much easier the balance and strength poses had become for me compared to just a year ago. My hips are more open, my hamstrings are longer, and my tree pose is sturdy like a tree. In fact, as I was holding said tree pose, for several breath cycles, I was gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the park, full of trees. The tall, green fir trees and the cheerful deciduous trees, just starting to color their leaves for fall. I breathed in the oxygen they make, and thought about how much easier the poses are, but what a challenge it remains for me to calm my mind.

One of the main purposes of practicing yoga is to practice mental discipline. I am so-so at this, at best, when there is plenty going on. As in, when every inhale or exhale is coupled to a movement, and the movements are physically challenging, I can keep my mind in the moment. It is the same when I run: on easy runs my mind wonders and I listen to music, but on hill or speed workouts, my mind is focused. I like to run hills just for this reason - to give my mind a break from its usual hectic pace and just focus on knees, ankles, hips, breathing, and posture. At least on easy runs I have music. But in the still, quiet moments of hatha yoga, I really struggle.

It seems the few weeks of (sloooooow boooooring) hatha yoga are serving to remind me to challenge my mental discipline. I think this is something I can take back to power vinyasa and to my runs, to bring more meaning to my regular practice.