Hooked on Yoga
Five years ago my wife purchased a Yoga package for a friend as a Christmas gift, Laurel went once and vowed never to return as the aces and pains her body endured were too much for her to handle. It was this intrepid writer who steeped up to the plate and volunteered to give it a try. Day one is still instilled in my memory, not really sure what to expect I followed Corinne, the instructors lead along with my wife and several other ladies, we went through the Salutations to the Sun then on to a variation of the First Series of Ashtanga Yoga. When savasana (corps pose) finally arrived I was definitely ready to rest and let my breath restore my body. Well I was pretty relaxed because I not only fell asleep but started snoring for the entire savasana,I am sure the other ladies must have been distracted but I felt no disdain from them, I smiled rolling up my mat and said I would be back for the next class (you are supposed to stay conscious in the room). I left that day feeling great, I came away with a calm and stillness I had not experienced in years, I was hooked. When time permitted I pursued Ashtanga Yoga with diligence. I attended my first work shop in Edmonton with David Williams a Yogi taught by Guruji Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore India, David was one of the first westerners to become certified to teach Ashtanga Yoga, he has had an uninterrupted daily yoga practice for over 35 years, truly a great inspiration. Since that time I have practiced Ashtanga Yoga in Edmonton, Calgary, Cold Lake, Maui Hawaii with Nancy Gilgoff and also a yoga variation with Grace in Lloydminster. Last year while in Hawaii we also practiced the Bikram method of yoga, (hot yoga) where the room is heated to 112 degrees F, you practice 26 postures in that heat; the sweat flows out of you like a river, when you finish you feel rejuvenated and crave more. These practices are like a moving meditation, it is said Yoga is 95% practice and 5% theory, do the practice and all will be revealed, that’s the spiritual part. Yoga is a path and with ashtanga yoga there are eight limbs in the path. A good reference book is “YOGA MALA” by Pattabhi Jois. Yoga is more than being flexible, yoga can be for everyone. Today yoga is used along side many sporting activities including golf training camps and professional vocal training. So don’t be shy check out your local studio you may be pleasantly surprised and find yourself doing downward dog & upward dog. Perhaps next year I will have a small studio in the new shop and offer some Ashtanga Yoga work shops to any interested parties. Namaste. |
