Since I last posted I have started doing yoga! Yep you heard right, YOGA! I saw an advert for a group that being running for years in my village! As Confucius says when student is ready the teacher appears.

 

I started at the beginning of July. I was hesitant, but made my way into the village hall with my loose clothing, large towel and bottle of water, as it stated I should do on the website. I was greeted with a warm hello and within minutes I was laid flat on a borrowed yoga mat.

The whole experience was to use a cliché ‘enlightening’. The people there just accepted me as I was, or maybe, I went in and was me, without any masks or disguise. I had a wonderful time and found and re-discovered muscles I haven’t thought about for the last 30 years! I surprised myself at how much I could do; spending my days on the floor teaching children had paid off it meant that I was very comfortable when sitting crossed legged on the floor; unlike some of the other member s of the group, who had been attending the group for a while.

The whole emphasis was about me working and pushing myself to my own potential. I wasn’t in competition with anyone. I was there to be the best that I could be.

I’ve continued to go and have reaped the benefits of better sleep and a more relaxed mood. This last week the yoga teacher asked us to do a hand stand. For the last few weeks we have been working on a shoulder stand and now he introduces the idea of a hand stand?!

 

 I haven’t done that since I was at primary school. Another woman who was an experience yoga practitioner has the same expression as me. She is the antithesis of me; she is tall, thin and experienced.  However, despite these factors she was just as incredulous as I was. She and I attempted the extended bunny hop type of move, but as the yoga teacher advanced towards her she said “I can’t do it!” he looked and then said “You can’t do it yet!” to which she laughed. He then went on to explain that the issue with a handstand was to do with fear not strength. The problem was allowing yourself to do a handstand rather than having the strength to get up there.

 This comment was yet again a revelation to me!!? No one in my childhood ever said to me “Arh you can’t do it ..yet!” implication: stick with it and you will!! SHIT!!!Why is it that I’ve got to the ripe old age of 40 and this is the first time I’ve heard this!??This resonated deep within me and I’ve continued to say it to myself as I’ve started to practice my yoga moves at home. It also made me think about how I tackle life and new experiences.

This afternoon, whilst practising my yoga I managed to do a shoulder stand without the support from the wall!! The hand stand is next!!!