Of Cats, Cows and Cobras
Aug 23rd, 2007 by lisa
I just finished doing my yoga for today. I’ve been learning and practicing yoga for a few weeks, and I can honestly say it’s really making me feel a lot better. It’s also very addictive. I’ll be in the kitchen packing Paul’s lunch for the day, and my muscles begin clamoring to stretch. I start thinking about Downward Dog, or Cat and Cow pose, and I can’t wait to get to my yoga mat.
It’s not just physically addictive, my heart and mind are feeling better too. Situations don’t seem as dire, and I feel that I’m getting into the Flow a little easier now. There something about the poses, the breathing and the knowledge that I’m doing something for myself that makes everything else seem brighter and easier.
I use a short practice of about ten poses. I’ve been reading Yoga Journal and I’ve been working with this book to create a practice that suits me as a beginner. I’ll be adding new poses as I learn them. The articles in Yoga Journal are really helpful in understanding how your body benefits from the different poses and how best to accomplish them.
Now, here is an example of how ridiculous I can be sometimes. I’ve always practiced stretching. I had a stretch routine left over from my dance classes of many years ago that I half-heartedly adhered to. I called it ‘doing yoga’ in jest, and because it sounded more interesting than ‘doing my stretches’. So about a week into my beginning yoga practice, Paul asked me how it was going. I said, “I love it. Yoga is wonderful when you do it right.”
He thought that was hysterical. Yeah well… I knew what I meant.
Downward Dog has to be the most difficult pose for me. Everyone around me in class is all relaxed and blissed out while my shoulders are locking up, my hamstrings are howling and the blood is rushing to my head turning my face brilliant red, gimme Child’s pose any day. After I’m done I sure feel better, taller, supple and healthier.
I’m going to go check out the books! Thanks for the links.