The Hard and the Soft

Truth telling time. This month has been on the tougher side. Back at the end of July I decided to sign up for the 30 day yoga commitment: 30 classes in 30 days. Okay, I figured, this will be a challenge but I can do this.

(While I’m in the midst of doing a 100 day blog challenge.)

I can do this, I thought.

Then my Gramma passed away and I was gone for five days. Two weeks later my aunt passed away and I was gone for another two days. A much needed trip to our cabin was this past weekend, which adds up to a grand total of nine days away from the studio. I’ve had to double up on classes which meant nine days of entire evenings spent at yoga. Then to come home, tired, and write my blog post for the day. I was not expecting it to be so tiring, all this yoga!

That’s the hard stuff I want to acknowledge. And there is also the soft… the loveliness that this yoga commitment has brought me. I know more of my fellow yogis by name. There is more banter and chit chat before and after class… the tingles of community. I know my yoga teachers better and am thankful for all their unique gifts and talents. On the nights that I did two classes I enjoyed time in the sauna and time to journal.

And my practice changed so much… I’ve done poses that I’ve never been able to do before. I’m wayyyyy stronger in other poses that I was super wobbly in (hello Bakasana!). I was reminded constantly of my own limiting beliefs; watching a pose demonstration, thinking “I can’t do that”, trying it, and doing it. I’ve softened into yin poses more deeply than ever. I’ve even made it to a number of 6:30am classes – and I am no morning person. I’ve been drinking way more water and discovered that I can make it to a 6:00pm class if I scoot out of the office at 5:00pm and take the Skytrain.

My wrists, elbows and shoulders have survived all the planks and Chaturangas. I’ve listened to my body when it was too tired for a power class so went to a restorative class instead. I’ve had sad moments in Savasana pose and creative insights while mellowing in a yin pose. And I’m still finding my balance in many of the one-footed poses; always an invitation for me to be playful and not take myself so seriously.

I didn’t think that I would actually be able to do 30 classes in 30 days. Nor did I imagine the diverse learnings that would come with it.

But here I am. Tonight was my 30th yoga class. I did it – a whole day early. Another item crossed off my life’s wheel. And I’m going to a class tomorrow morning. Why? Because doing this commitment fit with my 2012 intention of having a more regular yoga practice, and in my rainbows and sunshine and butterflies world that would mean practicing every day. So I’m going to use my 30 day commitment as a big launching pad to my regular yoga practice. Ohmmmm….

Steve Prakope via Compfight