Towards the
end of 2014, I finally decided to stop procrastinating and get myself to a yoga
class. The reason I had been avoiding
taking up yoga for so long is that I had mistakenly assumed that I would find
it too slow paced and gentle, especially as my usual exercise routine consists
of rigorous workouts of the ‘no gain without pain’ variety. I have since
discovered how wrong I was to dismiss this ancient form of exercise as some
kind of gentle stretching routine for those who don’t like breaking into a sweat! I have also found that my rather presumptuous assumption that all yoga devotees
are uptight vegans whose preferred beverage is a carrot and beetroot smoothie
is not entirely accurate! Furthermore, I soon discovered that there are many
forms of yoga and that some of them can be very challenging, both mentally and
physically. In fact, trying to hold some of the more strenuous postures in
Ashtanga yoga for any length of time, whilst simultaneously remembering to
breathe correctly, is a lesson in concentration and endurance unlike any other!
I am not sure
why I felt such resistance to learning yoga because in many ways it is the
perfect form of exercise for someone with a passion for dance; in fact,
the graceful flowing movements are very similar to the ballet poses I spent
hours practising and perfecting as a young girl. But the
greatest benefit I have gained from my yoga practise - in addition to greater
strength, flexibility and balance - is an improved sense of well-being and calm. The end result is that I sleep better, my concentration has improved and I am generally less anxious.
In fact, following a good yoga workout I often feel as though I have been
cleansed from within. I have also learnt
to breathe properly so that whenever my mind starts racing and spiraling out
of control, I have the skills to calm myself down just by focusing on my
breathing.
The meaning
of the word ‘yoga’ is union – signifying the union of body and mind. And in a
year that has been marred by one loss after another, I am deeply grateful to
have learnt the skills to quieten my raging mind and aching heart – bringing
some much-needed balance to my tempestuous life.
Copyright © Claire-Louise Osorio, 2015
Copyright © Claire-Louise Osorio, 2015
