Yoga Passbook 2011 - (Bend & Bloom/Bent!)

Bend & Bloom Yoga, 708 Sackett Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217

September 14th
Wednesday morning I decided to go to the 9:15am Open class at Bend & Bloom in Park Slope. I was still beat down from the other classes I had taken and wasn't too keen on the class being an hour and thirty minutes, but I wanted to get it in for the day and I had wanted to check out Bend & Bloom for a while. So off I went.  It was just my luck that when I arrived at the studio I learned that Amy, who was teaching the class,  had to take her child to the doctor that day so she decided to cut class to an hour instead of the usual hour and a half!  Yes!

Bend & Bloom is called just that because they offer kids yoga, prenatal and postnatal yoga. So they are there for everyone through all phases of life.  They have two yoga studios and I was in the bigger of the two for my class that day.  The room is pretty big and there are two windows in the room. One is pretty high up and the other is almost like a door or a little porthole on the left side of the room.

As we started the class I knew right away not to get too excited about it being an hour because I felt like we jumped right into thing. It was moving really fast and I could feel my body screaming at me. But I kept moving and breathing through.  Usually I'm pretty focused in class and I do a good job with my breathing, but I kept thinking, "My God I need to go back to a basics class for a minute and slow this joint down."  When I really started to think about it, I did dive back into yoga full steam ahead this time. When I did my 30 days of yoga  last year I took it slow to get back into the groove. Not this time. I really thought I was super yogi! Poses that shouldn't have been a struggle that day were killing me.  I know everyday if different when you hit the mat, but wow! I was bending, but I sure wasn't blooming. LOL!

That was one of the longest hours I had spent in yoga up to this point.  That class couldn't have ended fast enough. Amy was a great teacher, but I just couldn't get with it that day and I honestly wasn't sure when I would go back. Well as fate would have it, it would be the next day!

[Side Note: Although I used my passbook that day, the 9:15 an Open Flow class led by Amy is a "Pay What You Can" class. So I know with my budget being what it is these days I can go back and check the class again after my passes are finished.]


September 15th
Thursday was really crazy for me. My liner notes were due (I had started, but I missed the deadline by a long shot) and I had a doctor appointment (and the office was backed up).  I can't remember what else I did that day, but I ended up going to yoga in the evening. My original idea was to go to Bodhisattva Yoga Studio in Park Slope for their 7pm Basics class because I needed to rewind this yoga situation for a minute. I hopped on the train and ended up getting there just a little early so they made me wait outside until they were ready to let folks in.

Before getting to the studio I wasn't quite sure if I had been there before, but when I walked up I knew I had.  When I was finally let in I was greeted by Jess who was teaching the class.  She asked me if I had ever been to the studio before and I said yes. I then dug in my bag and pulled out my passbook.  Before I could even open it up to the page she was looking at me, shaking her head no. Oh no, not again.  I was reminded of when I tried to use my passbook at Move With Grace and was rejected, but that situation turned out much better than this. Turns out that once you have been to Bodhisattva with the passbook you cannot go back again with it. The passes are for first time visitors ONLY.  So my pass was worth squat.  Jess asked me if I wanted to stay and pay $18 for the walk-in. What??!!! If I had planned to pay $18 then I wouldn't have bought my passbook. Also...$18!  Really? I know there are many studios around that have $18 walk-ins, but it still boggles my mind.  I guess that's Park Slope rent for you. I politely told Jess No, Thank You and headed out the door.

So now it's 7pm. I'm in Park Slope and I really want to go to yoga. The only way I'm getting it in that night is if I use the passbook and then I remember Bend & Bloom had a Basics class happening at 7:45pm. They are on Sackett between 4th & 5th Ave in Brooklyn and I was on 9th Street & 7th Ave. So I figured I would just walk over and wait there until it was time for class.

I moseyed over to Bend & Bloom and waited for the 7:45 Basics class to begin.  It was in the same room I had been in the day before, but this time the class was packed. Since I had only been to the studio for the first time the day before, I'm not familiar with who the teachers are. When the teacher came in she didn't introduce herself so I just figured it was the usual teacher.

The instructor had us start on the wall with some shoulder stretches, which was really good for me because my left shoulder needs all the stretch it can get. It was kind of intense, but I was with her. Little did I know that that intense feeling was just a precursor for the rest of the class.  I swear during class she bent us in so many positions that were just mean (lol) and then somewhere in the middle of class she sort of starts mocking our thoughts.  What I mean is, she said, "I know you're all thinking, 'What the hell! This is a basics class?'"  HA! That's EXACTLY what I was thinking.  I was like damn, I was trying to slow this ship down and you are heating it up for real! She kept saying things about being the sub and then it clicked. Ah hell, this woman is not the regular teacher so she's just doing her own thing.  Damn! It was too late. I was deep in it. I can't even remember all the things she had us doing, but I do remember one quite clearly.

She had us move our mats to the wall for the last part of the class. She had us put one blanket, folded in half, on our mat, but lined up against the wall to give our knee some cushion.  I might not describe this next part exactly right, but you'll get my point.  She then had us put our right knee on the blanket while front of our foot was on the wall. So imagine you are down on one knee about to propose, but instead of your back foot being flat on the ground, your back knee is bent and your foot is up against a wall.  Then she has us back in a bit so we are tight in there and then sort of lean forward to get the back bend in there.  Yo! I almost cried for real.  It was one of the most painful things I have ever done. I know I had done that post before, but that day it was unreal.  It proved just how tight my quads are.  I mean DAMN that hurt.  We were holding on to blocks on the highest level beside us and then she had us put our hands on the free knee, then in the air! What?? I think my hands made it into the air or a hot second.  They barely made it off the blocks on the first side and only to my knee on the second side.  Although yoga is not about competition I kept thinking, "How are these damn people doing this?"  LOL. I mean I could hear the pain in their bodies as well, but they were in there. The energy in the room was intense.  By the time we came out of one pose I couldn't believe we were going to have to do it again on the other side!  I think by that time I was just mad at the teacher.  LOL!

[Side Note: I had to look up the pose so that you could know what I'm talking about. So the Sanskrit name for the pose is Eke Pada Rajakapotasana II or in layman's terms One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II. Check the photos. They make it look so good and easy. lol Ouch!]

At the end of class the teacher told us her name was Lindsay and that she was teaching on Saturday mornings as well.  When she finished with her announcements it was all I could do to put my blocks and blankets away.  It was all I could do to even roll up my mat. I was spent or should I say bent! 

When I got out to the lobby to put on my shoes I think I was the last one to leave. Lindsay was there too to close up.  I thanked her for class and it was genuine. I knew my body needed what it got that night, but it was a hard pill to swallow.  Lindsay was very sweet. She told me she liked my hat and had spotted it when I came in.  That was the night I wore my fedora to class because I don't have a proper fall or winter everyday hat yet and I keep forgetting that I have no hair.  I have to say that after class was over and my body was coming back to itself, I felt like I was floating. I really felt sort of high. It was amazing. I hadn't felt anything like that after yoga before that I can remember.  I was actually energized. What a trip. I know I just yelled and almost cussed, but I'm going to give Lindsay another chance. :-D

Namsate.

Yoga Passbook 2011 - Day 6 (Yoga Vida NYC/The Secret is Out!)

Yoga Vida NYC, 99 University Place, NY, NY, www.yogavidanyc.com

Yesterday I was determined to go to yoga. Mercury is retrograde so everything was slower than usual and than I had a few internet snags to contend with, but I made it! I was going to go in Brooklyn, but due to the snags in my day I didn't make it to the bank in Brooklyn because it closes at 4pm. So I headed to the City where the banks close at 5pm and decided to take my class there.

I went to my bank branch in the Village and then walked over and up to Union Square, and to Yoga Vida NYC.  Like many of the places in my passbook I had never been there.  The studio is on University Place on the 6th floor of a building. When I got there the building felt familiar, but it wasn't until I was leaving that I realized why.  Core Pilates is also housed in this building and I had been to Core a few times before.

As usual, at least for the past two classes I was really early.  I walked in, took off my shoes and noticed that the release forms were out. So I signed and walked around a bit only to find that there was a huge class in session in the bigger of the two rooms in the studio.  That class was packed! It kind of reminded me of Jivamukti, which is also in Union Square.

Yoga Vida felt really great. When you walk off the elevator you are right in front of where everyone drops their shoes and coats. The men's room is to the left and the front desk is to the right.  Right in front of the desk is the small class room. This is where I had class, but if you go around the corner there is the larger classroom and clearly they needed that because again it was packed! If you keep walking straight there is a cute lounge and the the ladies rooms is to your right and the changing rooms are to the right of the couches.

Front Desk. Small class through the door.

Since I was early I was going to sit in lounge and wait  for someone to officially check me in, but just then someone walked in who could help me.  Turned out it was the teacher.  Great! So she checked me in, told me we would be in the small room in front of us and I could go in and set up.  I walked in and wasn't too clear about which was the front of the room was. Usually there is an alter of some sort, but there wasn't. So I asked and she told me which was to face and I set up my station.  There was one other woman there setting up her things as well.

Lounge area. Comfy couches.

As I sat waiting for class to start a myriad of things were going through my mind.  The music that was playing was great and I was wondering who it was.  As people were trickling in I was lamenting the fact that I was the only person of color yet again in class. But just as I was saying that to myself this ultra bubbly sista walks in the door. She looks right at me and says hello! She then starts talking to me about how she has to set up a station for her friend who is coming and her friend likes to sit in the front of class and she doesn't because she doesn't think she's any good at yoga, but she keeps coming back because her friend keeps inviting her...and on she goes.  I think I was in shock that she was talking to me and she was black. HA! Just so happened her friend was Latina so I had to eat my silent words.  I am very clear that my yoga practice is not about who is in class with you, but I really do love to see people of color in my yoga class. It just makes me feel good because so many of us are not taking care of ourselves. But that's a whole other blog.

The small class was pretty full, but soon we were off and moving.  The teacher's name was Jessie. She was really pleasant from the jump.  She introduced herself. Check! She asked if people had injuries she should know about.  Check! She told people to take care of themselves. Check! Okay let's do this!

When Jessie began her class there was no Om three times or even once and strangely enough it didn't matter. Her energy was so vibrant I think we really didn't need it. Very strange for me to say that, but it's true.  The class was a basics class and although I have been practicing yoga for a long time I really like basics classes because it keeps you tuned up. Especially if you haven't been practicing regularly like me. Jessie made it clear that she would come around and adjust people if needed and I really love that because I believe in the power of touch.

As class began we moved through cat/cow and a few other postures to get warmed up before we hit our first down dog. Jessie was very attentive to everyone in the class. She would slow things down and demonstrate something if she thought it would help people. I really appreciated that. When you practice yoga for a long time, you might get the feeling that you have it all correct, but then someone will break something down for you and then suddenly it really clicks. That is what happened for me a few times in class. First was with knees, chest, chin and keeping my arms in an outward rotation. Now I have been taught this for sure and probably have been doing it, but doing it and being mindful of doing it are two very different things. Same for coming into a flat back after moving through Uttanasana (forward bend). It was like a lightbulb went off and I have been doing these moves for years! I love it when that happens. 

The rest of the class was really awesome as well. Good music and great teaching.  I love that combo.  I could hear the young lady in the back who had talked to me earlier, talking to herself about her practice. She was saying out loud, to her herself how terrible she was at all of this.  I wanted to stop and tell her that this is not about being good or bad. Yoga is not a competition. Not even with yourself. It's a practice and if you keep going you will get better and feel better.  No time to beat yourself up. But I know she'll be okay. She has a friend and she keeps coming back.  That's really the best sign of them all.  Even if you are grumbling through the whole class, keep going back.

So I know you are wondering what the secret is.  I had posted an earlier blog about Area Yoga being the best keep secret because their classes are only $10. Well I found another one! Yes folk, drop in classes at Yoga Vida are $10 and for new guest right now they are offering at week of unlimited yoga for $10. Also if you are a student then classes are....drumroll please...$5!  Yes I said $5!  I wish I had a student ID.  HA! Another thing that is not listed on their website is that they offer Karma Yoga, which is basically work-study.  So you can help out around the space and you can get free yoga in exchange.  I didn't get all the details about that, but it was nice to see that option. I know many studios offer this kind of thing.  Now I understand why that big studio was packed when I walked in. 

So yes Manhattan folks. There is $10 yoga in Union Square. I think Yoga To the People is also very inexpensive, but I'm also shocked to find a cheap, good class in this city where some studios will try and run you over $20 and I'm not talking Bikram. 

When class ended I had to go over to the iPod and see what Jessie had been playing when we came in because she was playing it on our way out. It was the first Fleet Foxes and clearly I'm late because it was their first album from 2008. But I have to get that joint. It appealed to my hippie sensibilities. LOL!

Jessie (awesome teacher) & grasshopper

I waited until some of the folks left and asked Jessie to take a photo. She was really sweet. Found out she's an actress and voiceover artist as well. Got a little advice on the V.O. front from her as well. That was sweet!  Then I headed out.  Another great day on the mat.

Namaste.

Note: Don't forget to check out my IndieGoGo campaign.  One of the incentives is Yoga Class with Me! Let's make music and be healthy together.

Yoga Passbook 2011 – Day 5 (World Yoga Center/Best of Upper West)

World Yoga Center 265 W. 72nd Street, NY, NY, www.worldyogacenter.com

I'm back! I know I have been away from the blog for a while, but it has been quite a whirlwind for me since my last post. I’ve been to Paris and London and back and it was amazing! If you haven't gotten a chance to read my travel blog please check it out at www.blakbushe.blogspot.com.  I was hoping to get some yoga in in London so that I could report back, but alas there was no time. But now I’m back in NY and back to class and ready to share once again.

I’ve actually been back from Europe for a while and I have been trying to find an opening in my schedule to get some yoga in. Ever since I touched down I’ve been running. If it wasn’t one thing it was another. Finally last Monday I finished up a bunch of things that were looming and decided to take myself to yoga on Tuesday. I had a plan for the day.

I was going to head to yoga and then head to Modell’s to get myself a swimsuit because I want to start swimming again to add so maybe I can do a triathlon again. Then I was going to head down to DSW to get a new pair of sneakers and then home. Seemed simple enough.

For my first foray back into yoga after a long break I decided to go to the World Yoga Center. It’s on the Upper West Side and there is a Modell’s right in the area. I had gone to Modell’s in downtown Brooklyn, but their swimsuit selection was slim pickings. Sometimes the same stores in City has more selection than the ones in Brooklyn. That's just the ugly truth of the matter and a whole other blog.

Class that day was at 12:30pm. I left the house in a timely fashion, but I still thought I was going to be late. I missed the train I thought I should have been on to get the upper west side in time so I was under the gun.  By the time I reached 72nd street I couldn't believe I was actually early.  It was a beautiful day in the City so I was glad I traveled so far just for class. It was the best excuse to get out of the house.

World Yoga Center is on 72nd b/w West End Ave. and Broadway.  It's right across the street from Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar.  As I walked down the street toward the studio I saw the big sign for the studio on the North side of the street.  When I got to the door, there was a sandwich board out front with studio information on it.

There is a buzzer next to the outside door to get into the studio.  The studio is up one flight of steps and directly around the corner.  When I walked in and there was a small foyer area and then the one big room that is the center.  For some reason I was expecting this big center because of the name World Yoga, but that's what I get for making assumptions.  Honestly I was really glad it wasn't super big. I really needed cozy today on my first day back in a while.

I was greeted at the desk by Jana who I soon found out was also teaching the class. They had a bowl full of money on the counter for Japan Relief, which I thought was great and the energy of the place was right on point.  As I said I thought I was going to be late, but I actually ended up being 15 minutes early. Jana showed me the bathroom/dressing room and I went back to put down my bag and get ready for class.

When I came out, Jana and I chatted for a while since we were the only people there.  She talked about the style of yoga we were going to practice that day, which was Anusara.  I know I had practiced it before, but I couldn't recall when.  But as long as it wasn't Ashtanga we were in business. LOL!  She told me about the benefit Kirtan for Japan they were having at the studio and I told her that I also play in a Kirtan at Laughing Lotus. I then revieled that I was musician to which she replied, "No wonder you are able to come to class at this time."  LOL. That made me chuckle because then I wondered what she was thinking of me when I walked in. I don't think it was anything bad, but I do often wonder how I come across when I enter new places with new people.  As we were in mid chat, another woman walked in and found a spot in the room.  It looked like it was going to be a class for two which was great!

According to Jana, Anusara yoga classes always start off with a chant. So we opened with a chant and that was really great.  Then we sat in meditation for a moment and then began the series for the day.  I have to tell you it was an amazing class.  I don't really know a whole lot about Anusara yoga to break it down for you so I did a little research.

According to anusara.com, "Anusara yoga is a school of hatha yoga, which unifies a life-affirming Shiva-Shakti Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment." Also "The vision of Anusara yoga is grounded in a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness. In this philosophy we take the premise that everything in this world is an embodiment of Supreme Consciousness, which at its essence pulsates with goodness and the highest bliss. All of creation is divinely danced into existence for the simple delight and the play of embodying the Supreme’s own blissful nature." I can get down with that!  LOL!

Now that you have been briefed about the style I'll tell you about the class. First and foremost it was great! I know I said that, but it needs to be said again. Jana is a really attentive teacher and you can tell that she really loves yoga.  She wasn't just mailing it in.  The class was supposed to be a Basics class, but when Jana realized that me and the other women in class had a more advanced practice she kicked it up a notch. That was fine with me. Jana and the other woman in the class happened to have taken teacher training together so they knew each other well.  You could just feel her genuine excitement throughout class. I really appreciated that.

That afternoon class was only an hour and honestly I think that's all I could have done.  I needed to get back to it, but I needed to ease in slowly.  It was a great way for me to get back into my practice.

Me & Jana

Anusara Chant

Om

Namah Shivaya Gurave

Saccidananda Murtaye

Nisprapancaya Shantaya

Niralambaya Tejase

Translation:

I offer myself to the Light, who is the True Teacher

within and without (the teacher of all teachers),

Who assumes the forms of

Reality, Consciousness and Bliss,

Who is never absent and is full of peace,

Independent in its existence,

It is the vital essence of illumination.

World Yoga Classroom

Note: If you have read the information "About Me" on the side of the page then you know I'm also a musician. Currently I have the Can a Girl Catch a Break? IndieGoGo campaign going to raise funds for my next album.  One of the incentives for donating to the project is yoga with me! I would love to have some of my blog readers by my side while I'm making my album. So check out the IndieGoGo link below and be a part of making the album happen and let's downward dog together!

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook Day 2011 - Day 4 (Om Factory/The Boss)

Om Factory 265 W 37th St, New York, NY, www.omfactorynyc.com

If you read the little bio on the side of this blog then you know I'm a vocalist/musician as well as a yogini.  Tomorrow I am on my way to Paris for the first time with a band called the Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber. I'm so excited as I have never been to Paris before. 

On the day of the last Burnt Sugar rehearsal before Paris I decided to get a little yoga in. I looked through my Passbook and found Om Factory. The yoga studio is on W. 37th street, which put me really close to the rehearsal studio on W. 30th street. 

Om Factory has a nice vibe to it.  It has three very nice size studios and the changing room is cool as well. There are cubbies to leave your belongings on the right as you walk in, which is a also a sort of lounge area with benches and shoe storage.

The room we practiced in was orange and had a great symbol painted on the wall. I was one of the first people to class so I put my mat down and relaxed for bit. The teacher was in the room getting himself together and two other women were in the room with me as well.  The teacher came over and introduced himself (you know how I love that),  his name was Faramarz and he complimented my t-shirt I had on for class.  He informed us that he would be teaching that day in place of Kelly who had an emergency.  Well the ladies in the room didn't seem too pleased about that. They kept talking about Kelly's class and how challenging it is.  I mean they went on almost to say that it was going to be hard to fill her shoes.  Now I had never had class with Kelly so as far as I was concerned Faramarz was my teacher.

Soon the room began to fill up and class began.  Faramarz had us begin in a restorative pose to help open the shoulders. We started on the floor, but it only went up from there.  The class is called Vinyasa: Foundation Level, but it was challenging for sure. I kept chuckling to myself thinking that those ladies probably put the "I'll show you" into our teacher for the day and he was giving it to us.  LOL!  I know that probably wasn't the case, but it sure felt like it.

Usually any class that says "Foundation," "Basic" or "Level 1" won't take the students through certain things like chaturanga (at least not right away), but that was not the case here. We jumped right into it. There was no talk of kness, chest, chin.  Of course we could modify, but he didn't call it from the beginning.  So you know this class was off the hook.  Once during class I glanced over at the two ladies who were raving about Kelly. I think they were wishing for Kelly to come back...soon! 

All in all it was a great class! Faramarz is a great teacher. He had jokes and reminded us to smile though the poses. He would demonstrate harder positions and come by to help people. Maybe this was "Foundation" test day, but whatever, it was a great class.

When it was all over I had to talk to Faramarz and get a picture for the blog. After chatting for a bit I found out that he is the owner of Om Factory. Well no wonder that class was as challenging as it was.  HA!  I could only laugh.

Me & Faramarz

I pulled myself together after class and headed over the rehearsal.  Great way to get in the right mind for a 4 hour rehearsal.  All in the name of Paris!

I'm going to do my best to find some time to get a yoga class in while in Europe. I would love to get my downward dog on in the UK!

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook 2011 - Day 3 (Go Yoga/Hipsterville)

Go Yoga 112 N. 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY www.goyoga.ws

Last Thursday’s yoga class was so challenging that it took me two days to recover. LOL! Okay I’m just kidding…sort of.

Last Thursday I had a Reiki client and I wanted to go to class right afterward instead of going home and having to wait until the evening. So I searched my book and found Go Yoga in Williamsburg. I prayed the G train would be in my favor and that my client would be on time since I practice in Cobble Hill and the class was in Williamsburg. Well, my client wasn’t quite on time, but the G train was in my favor.

As soon as I finished up I headed to Smith – 9th Street to catch the train. I had to take the G to Metropolitatin and then switch for the L to Bedford, the heart of hipsterville.

For those of you reading this who don’t know about Williamsburg it is the land of the hipsters during the week college students hanging out on weekend. Some would say it’s one of the cooler neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The heart of indie rock, but now I’m think it’s a bit over run with people who are trying to live in the “cool” part of town, which makes it totally uncool. But hey, I didn’t have to live there I only had to go to yoga.

Go Yoga is on one of the main drags in Williamsburg, North 6th street. I used to hang down there a lot when it was actually hip and before Galapagos moved to Dumbo.

The class started at 3:30pm and thanks to gentrification, the G train actually came and I got down to the area pretty quickly. Those of you who know, know that there was a time when the G would never come.

The 3:30pm class was an Ashtanga class (Click HERE for more info on Ashtanga Yoga). I hadn’t taken Astanga in a really long time, but honestly after the class started I was wondering if I had ever taken it at all. I have taken a lot of yoga and I am pretty well versed in all things yoga, but I was in for a surprise.

When I got to the spot I was the first one there. I filled out the usual first time paperwork, checked in with my passbook, put my things in the cubby and headed into the class. The studio is very quaint. It’s got a stone walkway as you enter, and the classroom has stained glass in the skylights and French doors in the front of the class. The doors don’t lead to a yard, but there is a bit of outdoor space. So you could see the snow on the ground. Must be really pretty when it is snowing or even raining.

I put my mat down and grabbed a blanket. I was about to get a block as well, but the teacher quickly told me that all I would need was the blanket. How would she know that? Hmmm... I went with it.

Since I was so early I sat on my mat and read for about 10 or 15 minutes before others stared showing up. In the end there were only three of us. I heard one woman talking to the teacher before class about her shoulder hurting. I only mention that because after we started class you would have NEVER known this woman was hurting. I know you are not supposed to be checking people out while in class, but during this class I felt I couldn’t help it and here’s why.

Class begins and I’m getting ready to settle into my seated position to get my Om on, when the teacher abruptly tells us to stand up, feet together, hands in prayer, then...Om (3x). Then she went into this call and response chant. This would usually not be a problem as I’m pretty good with Sanskrit at this point, but this time I was not ready. Well, let me put it this way. I’m black. I come from a long tradition of call and response, but the one thing you have to know about call and response is that no matter what language you are giving it in, you have to give it in bits and pieces so people can catch on. Then you can put it all together. You don’t do the whole verse at once and expect folks to just chime in like it’s no problem. So when this happened and all I could do was really hum the tune and not say the words, I just knew I had wandered into a more advanced class then I expected, or had I? I was totally puzzled and honestly frustrated out of the gate. My ego was getting the best of me for sure. LOL!

So we jump off the class with Surya Namskar A or in layman’s terms, Sun Salutation A. Okay. I can do this. So we go through the series a few times. Then we move on the Suya Namaskar B. Okay. I’m still good. We are moving at a fast pace. Straight to chaturanga no knees, chest, chin, but that’s cool. I’m with it. Then we start rolling through the postures.

What I didn’t know or remember about Astanga is that the system goes through a certain set of postures each time and I think they are the same every time. Also what I didn’t realize is that many of the postures of levels of difficulty from A to D. Maybe I shouldn’t say difficulty, but they postures become more challenging as the letters go up. They also include Vinyasas that are the usual chaturunga, upward dog, downward dog, but then there is also the jump throughs and jump backs from a seated position, where you would shoot your legs back behind you to plank or forward through your hands to a seated position. I don’t know if I would call a vinyasa and I don’t know if I’m making any damn sense, but damn it was work! We also always had jump forward to uttanasana at points. Now I know I’m throwing around whole lot of unknown words so some of your all and your mind is starting to hurt. Well now you know how I was feeling that day in class! LOL!

To top all that off, as I stated above, I thought I was really well versed in all things Sanskrit. Well the teacher started calling names of things in Sanskrit that I had never heard of so I have no idea what to do and she wasn’t trying to demonstrate so I was looking at the other two ladies in the room. Not really the best idea, but I needed a little guidance. Help really! When we got down the C and D levels of the postures in some cases my body was not having it. I looked over at the woman with the “hurt” shoulder and she was wrapped up like a pretzel! HA! All I could do was laugh to myself.

As I was looking around the room, struggling, I see the teaching helping the pretzel lady and I’m think, “she doesn’t need any help. I need the damn help!” HA! My ego was really coming out. I was thinking all kind of stuff on that class. “How come the teacher is not helping me? If she’s not going to demonstrate the poses, then what is she here for? Did some white guy make this mode of yoga up? I know she sees me struggling so why isn’t she offering modifications?” Now mind you, I know how to modify, but my ego was saying that “she” needed to tell me cuz “she is the teacher!” LOL! The teacher did come over and help me in the class. She was actually very nice, but wow the mind can be a monster.

I kept looking at the clock (bad) and I was sweating up a storm. People don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t get your sweat on in yoga. That’s a damn lie! I can’t even recall all that happened in that class, but I will say this. When we finally got to savasana I was so ready to lie down. HA! I was nailed to the floor!

Usually at the end of class the teacher will tell you to roll over to your right and then sit up and cross-legged position for you last Om of the class. Well not in this class. When savasana was over, the teach just said, “Thank you. Now go and rest.” Ha ha! I was like damn. No hug, no spooning, no goodnight kiss. It felt like, “Thank you and goodnight!”

So I gathered my mat, glasses and my ass up off the floor. Packed up all my things, went to the loo and put on my outside gear. The teacher came of and handed me a sheet with the Ashtaga poses on it and the long chant that she did that day. Apparently they do it every time so folks who come, know it.

She asked me if someone had got me the yoga passbook as a gift. Which really translated to asking, was this your first time doing yoga? Damn! I must have been looking crazy. LOL! It was all good though.

Originally I thought I would never go back to that class, but I think I will or maybe find another Ashtaga class. My ego is not going to beat this girl down. It’s yoga after all!

Namaste.