I Hate Yoga
The thing about yoga is, I can't do it. In fact, it makes me angry and frustrated to try. It doesn't help that all these other people in my direct line of sight are effortlessly supple, flexible, and graceful. That just makes me more angry and frustrated.
My stubby things called legs and arms are simply unsuited to the task of doing the poses. Of course, there is the stubby-limbed girl on the other side of the classroom who seems to have no problem. But she's a girl, right? Girls are more flexible than boys. End of story.
Maybe my torso is too long. Or the proportions in general are wrong. In any case, I've never been flexible, not even when I was young. I was pulling my hamstring muscles when I was 13. Why am I trying to do yoga? What am I, an idiot? A glutton for punishment?
I'm at a yoga studio called 7th Heaven. Feh. All these people with serene looks and supple bodies. Feh.
1 Comments:
Hi I was looking around and discovered your blog. In your post entitled "I hate yoga" you were really frustrated.
So you know where this comment is coming from, I am a woman that has been doing Yoga on/off for 4 years. I was average size when I started but do to medications I am not so tiny anymore (one side effect of the medicines). So I am not a young fresh out of school cheerleader or aerobics instructor. However I do believe in Yoga more so than any of the common fads out there today.
Why? Well I have scoliosis. Now I don't want to get personal but perhaps I can help answer some questions.
Perhaps by hearing my experience it might help you become less frustrated.
I have scoliosis (actually it's a bit more than just that). I have pain in my back. So severe that the Dr had me going to a gym and Chiropractor once a week.
However I still complained about pain. The next solution I was offered was they could de-sensitize my lower back nerves.
In other words they wanted to kill the nerves and give me the "numb butt" permanently.
Then an answer to my prayer, I found a yoga class. A small group out of my teachers home.
After 3 weeks the chiropractor was shortening my visits to every 2 weeks then every month.
Finally I just stopped going and continued with Yoga. 6 months later my x-rays show that the scoliosis was not as bad as before.
Anytime Life gets hectic and I start missing yoga for a long period those around me (like my husband) noticed the difference and that I am in pain.
You said you go to: a yoga studio called 7th Heaven now I do not know this place and would never criticizes a studio but sometimes the problem isn't with the yoga but with the studio and the teacher. There is alot of different styles of yoga as well as tempos.
Iyengar Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga is normally a fast pace power yoga and you may not be ready for that tempo. From your post it seemed no one has reached out to you and explained what yoga was. From your post you said: Why am I trying to do yoga? What am I, an idiot? A glutton for punishment? Yoga is not about punishment at all. The old saying no pain no gain is not yoga. Yoga is about listening to your body.
It is about being gentle with your body. Yoga isn't about what your neighbor can do or whether or not you can do a Lotus or headstand.
Yoga isn't about judgment. It isn't about the destination. It is about the journey. I have been lucky I have had a yoga teacher that is very good.
She is always insuring us that if we can not reach the floor or if our bodies stop and won't go futhur don't worry. Listen to your body if it is screaming at you, if your mind is gripping it is time for you to come out of the pose. She always tells us find a comfortable place in the pose. One of us may not be able to get into the poses the way other people can and when we are in a pose we may not look like the instructor or book but it is okay.
Yoga isn't about the "Him" or "her" it is about you and only you. It is about "I" and "my Body" and what "my body needs". You stated: Girls are more flexible than boys.
I know men that can put women to shame (if we were to judge but we are not :)) Flexibility comes eventually with yoga but if you focus on the goal, the destination then you loose the joy of the journey. Go to yoga to give you a chance to check in with your body and say hello. When you begin a pose take it at your pace and only stay in it as long as you can and simply do yoga so that you have a moment for your self.
Eventually everything comes after. Never judge yourself, never compare your self to another and go to your mat with nothing more than the intentions to relax.
I assure you that you do not have to worry about: "Maybe my torso is too long. Or the proportions in general are wrong" because it isn't the case.
We are born flexible but we sit in chairs and at desk and quickly we loose our natural self. Yoga is about self-love. Try not to focus on the others around you but focus instead on your inner self.
I would suggest trying another studio. Ask for a slow pace tempo class. I would also recommend a book Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates, he has a great story about a woman on a train that pushed herself forward in her seat thinking that she could will the train to go faster and she missed out on her journey, had a miserable train ride and was in pain thus she was miserable when she finally arrived. I do not do the story justice. I hope you find some comfort in yoga and I hope I have helped. There is a place a friend recommended when she was in California not sure if it is close to you: http://www.centerforyoga.com/home.html
Namasté
Post a Comment
<< Home