My, am I sore!

Today I write about yoga. Even though I have been taking yoga classes for the better part of 6 years and my aunt is a definite yogi (a *guru* under Yogi Bhajan), I knew relatively nothing about the practice of yoga. Or the different types of yoga practices. Until this year. The *main* types that I’ve explored recently include: Kundalini, Hatha, Anusara, and Ashtanga. I will explain what each is to me. Kundalini is breathe and mind focused and involves more in depth exploration of meditation. Hatha is more flow-y. Anusara is focused on alignment and the asanas. And Ashtanga is all of the above but includes following a particular series of poses, in order, depending on what level you are. I practice Ashtanga most exclusively because this type of yoga *jives* with what I was looking for and…who I am (I guess). It kicks my a**. And I like it!

So last week I started taking Ashtanga Mysore. Mysore is named after the city, Mysore, in India. Yogi’s and yogini’s around the world make what is almost like a pilgrimage (to them, a privilege) to India to practice and much of it is independent practice. In Ashtanga that means you show up and do the routine at your pace. It’s not a class. Or a class that is led by an instructor. And it’s in sanskrit. The instructor who is holding the mysore times is available to assist you in your sticking points which for me is handstands, armstands and anything involving twists about my right hip. Oh and to help you when you forget which pose goes when in the series.

It takes about 2 hours.

I was intimidated to go because I don’t know the whole 1st series perfectly though I’ve done some poses all the way into the 3rd and 4th series.

So I guess for all those people out there who refuse to take yoga because it’s “too slow” or “too hippy” or “doesn’t do anything for me”, you haven’t found YOUR right yoga. Or you’ve been taking it at one of those gym-y gyms. And for those that think it’s not a workout? I used to work out 2-4 hours a day doing any of a number of cardio and weight type things. My body never really changed (except got bigger & exhausted) even though I was working at very hard levels. Now? I breathe deeper, stand taller, am leaner and oh, yeah, I lost 6lbs this month without doing anything different. Except yoga.

Tags: exercise, fitness, weight loss, yoga