BAD RESORT YOGA

Why is resort yoga so frustrating?

I'm on vacation and tried the yoga offering here at the resort.  Again.  I've written blog posts in the past about my resort yoga experiences.  (Find them in the blog post index under headings:  In and Out of the Studio and Wardrobe)   I keep trying, but geez....

I met the yoga group at the appointed hour at the fitness center, chose a beat up, frayed, sandy mat from the cart where they were stored, wondering how often they are cleaned.   We followed the instructor through the gardens to the beach, like little chicks following the mother hen.  We unfurled our mats under a shade tree and began.

With no preliminaries, she had us immediately stand in Mountain Pose and then rise up on tiptoes for "balancing pose"....and we were off on what she announced would be a gentle class.  It was, for the most part, but a bit disjointed and weirdly constructed as one move didn't necessarily flow into the next.  Random Yoga.  Also, she had this auto-pilot thing she did (I've noticed this so many times with resort yoga instructors),  where even with her eyes closed, or facing away from us, she'd say, "Good job!  Beautiful!"  HOW DID SHE KNOW?  She wasn't looking at us!  It sort of cracked me up.  We could have been writhing in pain or flipping her the bird and she'd say, "Good job!"

I have some suggestions:

First of all, we are all here from somewhere else, right?  How about taking the first 5 minutes of the class welcoming us?  Maybe go around and ask us to share our names and where we are from and if we have ever done yoga before or have any injuries or needs she should be aware of.  Seems that would help build a little community, and allow her to know how best to support our practice.  Makes sense to me.

Also, how about reminding us to breathe, to only do what we can and no more, to skip anything that hurts.  I always see at least one or two in the class at resort yoga grimacing or looking embarrassed by their inability to do the pose.  There are never adequate (or any) props.  Help us out a little!   (Of course there are always also a couple of Yoga Journal models effortlessly moving into each pose in proper alignment with their rockin' fit bodies mocking the rest of us.)

At one point she did give us an alternative option for a "resting pose" -- "Take either Child's Pose or Pigeon, your choice."  Hmmmm... OK.   I don't see those as equivalent resting poses, and I have zero hours of teacher training, so what do I know?  And this may be nitpicking, but she kept calling the Downward Dog pose, "Downward Doggie".  No.  Just no.

I know these instructors see an ever-changing parade of tourists and it all becomes "just a job" at some point.  I get that.  She was friendly enough, as they all are, but I get the strong impression they are most eager to finish the hour and move on to whatever else they'd rather be doing.

And yoga in public is weird too.  We are on the beach, with people walking by, oggling our Happy Baby pose wide spread legs in the air above prominent butts.  It felt a little exhibitionist actually.

When it was time for Savasana, we lay in silence, thinking the only sound we hear would be the waves crashing to shore, the gentle breeze in the palms above us....but no.  A woman on her cell phone stood about 10 feet away giving a verbal description of her surroundings to someone back home, including, "... and I'm watching some people doing Yoga on the beach, or something..."

Or something, indeed.  ©

Namaste, donnajurene

Photo Credit:  www.pixaby.com

A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO THE PRESIDENT

I'm worried about our President.  I fear this job is taking a toll on him and he's only a little over a year into his contract.  I'm pretty sure he has ditched his Yoga practice.  I see all the signs...

First of all, at any age we need to stay strong and flexible to stay in good health, but it's even more important as we grow older.  And he is older. I don't know if his golf game is doing all it could for his physical suppleness.  A few Twists might loosen up his back and provide more range of motion for that golf swing.  He might also find a few Forward Folds would make setting his tee or picking up his ball less onerous.  (Or is that the caddy's job?  I  know little about golf and less about a caddy's job description.)  I note that he likes to ride in the golf cart too.  Maybe walking would be a good idea.  I read that his weight is one pound less than officially obese.  He might want to do a Thread the Needle on each side to help expand those hip joints.  He could also spend some time with the rollers to loosen the fascia and improve his walking gait.  Just a suggestion.

As we all know, Yoga isn't just about physical exercise; it also about peace of mind.  I think the President seems a little tense.  I've never heard him laugh.  He smiles occasionally, but it looks forced.  I get it; he has a lot on his mind.  But maybe a few "Laughing Yoga" classes would loosen him up and relax him a bit.   He tends to take himself rather seriously.

Yoga is ultimately about self-awareness and finding inner calm.  I bet if he stepped up his yoga and meditation practice, he'd be less apt to awaken at dawn after fitful sleep and find himself Tweeting provocative scattershot messages that he often has to revise in the light of day.  Sir, yes, people will disappoint, will misunderstand, will disagree, but name-calling is beneath the dignity of your office.  Take a deep breath in...hold...let it all slowly out.  See?  Better!

When we begin to accept ourselves in all our contradictory glory, to realize the folly of trying to always be in control, to give up judgements, and to embrace the wondrous diversity of this universe, we are better able to let go of Ego and find compassion for others.   We see in them the same fears, joys, challenges, and victories we find in ourselves.  We naturally want to reach out a helping hand, especially to those most vulnerable, and find collaborative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.  Best of all, we stop being afraid of what is "different", because isn't "different" merely a trick of perspective?  Once we deeply realize we are all one, any need to punish, exploit, or degrade vanishes.  Do unto others, basically.

So, anyway.  New York is chock-a-block full of yoga studios and meditation sangas.  I'm sure he has taken ample advantage of these opportunities in his NYC life.  I understand he's still getting settled in D.C. and learning on the job, since he showed up with no experience.  Been there, done that.  Not easy.  But it's time to get back at it!

As his Administration seems to have some degree of turnover, perhaps he will find he can accommodate a yoga instructor in the West Wing.  He could do his practice during morning "executive time", maybe slip in a few Partner Yoga sessions with Melania!  It's better than being a couch potato, noshing on cheeseburgers,  listening to the TV pundits, whose advice he'd be silly to take.  I'm sure he knows that.

I think I'll hop on Twitter and urge him to get back to his yoga and meditation practices.  I think we'd all feel better.  ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

BAG OF HAMMERS, REDUX

A few years ago I wrote a post on this blog called "Bag of Hammers Pose"  about doing a whole class with blocks propped beneath various body parts.  It hurt.  I didn't like it.  http://circlingthemat.blogspot.com/2015/02/bag-of-hammers-pose.html,

I was reminded of that post this morning when I went to the Inside Out Yoga Massage class, my second visit to this offering.  Based on the first class I attended I knew a bit about what to expect.  We would massage our bodies using props -- such as soft, cushy balls (feels good) and smaller, hard rubber balls (feels less good).

So, that's what we did and like the first time I attended this class, I felt like a rank beginner.  I forgot to pick up the twin pack of therapy balls from the basket so Robin, our instructor, had to bring them to me.  I tried to follow her directions but couldn't seem to find the right spot in my hip flexor area, or at least wasn't sure if I found the right spot, when she had us lie belly down on first the cushy ball, then the harder ball to "massage" that area.  I rolled around and followed directions, but felt uncoordinated and unsure and it was a little hurt-y.  Then we went on to rolling both balls on the sides of our hips and buttocks with me having the same result -- not sure if I was doing it right; not sure if I was hitting the designated spot.  I was sure, however, that those small rubber balls can feel a bit torturous on tender muscles.

Being one to push for results, however, I called up the old maxim from Jane Fonda Aerobic Home Video days -- "No pain, no gain."  Then I told myself that little bit of advice it antithetical to good yoga, so I backed off to a more comfortable pressure.

Next we placed the balls under our sacrum, being encouraged to roll our bodies up and over the balls so that they massaged either side of the spine all the way to the shoulder area.  I kept losing my balance and falling off the balls.  My shoulder got tired holding my body weight aloft, so I squirmed and struggled to find a comfortable posture for this move, unsuccessfully.  Then I realized I was unable to move much at all and got "stuck", as did my shirt, which kept rolling up with the balls and exposing my back fat.  Not a good look.

But I hung in there.  Yes, indeed-y.  I trusted Robin's excellent instruction and assurance that these movements, though slight, were mighty and would result in looser fascia and musculature allowing for better posture and walking gait, thus keep us limber and upright into our more Golden than they already are Years.  And I'm all for that!

She suggested we might want to purchase our own torture (I mean, "therapy") balls and roll around at home while doing a Netflix binge.  At this point I prefer a soft sofa and my blankie, but I do believe there is benefit, so I'll keep coming back to class until I'm more proficient and less apt to toss those balls into the trash heap of other well-intentioned exercise equipment gathering dust in my closet.

I'm sure I'll get there, even if Robin did compare the whole enterprise to the experience of giving birth -- breathe and relax into it.  I guess there is value in breathing through discomfort.  That trick has gotten me through many rough spots in my life, leaving me stronger and more flexible, both physically and emotionally, even if there isn't a bouncing bundle of joy to show for it every time.

(P.S.  I hope I didn't scare you off -- please come to Inside Out Yoga Massage.  There are smiles, even laughter, amongst the grimaces, I promise!  If nothing else, you can laugh at me; I'm sure I was quite a sight!  😂) ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

CELEBRATE DISCOMFORT!

Yes, it sounds counter-intuitive.  But sometimes being uncomfortable offers great insights into where we can grow.

Elizabeth led us through a series of therapeutic asanas in class this week, where as is typical, some people easily folded into whatever posture she was guiding, and others, well, not so much.  Elizabeth said she (like me) used to compare herself to the practitioner on the next mat and berate herself for not being as flexible, not being able to do the pose or hold the pose.  But then she came to realize that instead, she could be excited about those challenges!  If it's easy, that's not where one needs to work.  It's the challenging poses that show us where we are weak, stiff, sore, and unbalanced.  Instead of lamenting this, we can say...."Yay!  My body is showing me where it needs me to focus!"  Putting attention and intention in this area will result in big benefits in growing stronger, more supple, and balanced over time.

Makes sense, right?

The other thing that happened at that class was the number of people who showed up on a rainy, blustery Wednesday morning.  There were 30 people jammed into the studio, with one late-comer who decided to unfurl her mat in the entryway and follow along through the open door.  Being the sensitive teacher she is, Elizabeth immediately acknowledged that the unusually close proximity to our "neighbor" on the next mat might be uncomfortable for some people.  We generally have the luxury of spreading out more at Yoga Circle.  (I've seen big city classes where mats are about 6 inches from each other on all sides!)

As she asked us to consider how this felt, and to acknowledge without judgment, this feeling, I realized that I did, indeed, feel a bit crowded and uncomfortable.  I never want to be in anyone's way nor intrude in any way on their space.  And I don't really like people invading my space either.  We Americans have a need for "personal space" that is a greater distance than in some cultures and this is especially true of we introverts.  But what I discovered as the class went on was that without even really interacting with those around me I started to feel close to them, in a "friendly" way.  We were a community of sorts and I felt warmed by the presence of those close to my mat.

The following day, with its brilliant blue sky and sunshine, fewer folks came to class.  There were seven of us and we had vast expanses of space around us.  I ended up feeling a bit lonely!  I loved that I wasn't worried about intruding on anyone,  but I also realized that the energy was dispersed and I felt more alone in my practice.

I learned more about my own comfort by experiencing and acknowledging my discomfort in both classes.  Just as Elizabeth had taught us -- there is wisdom to be found in focusing on that muscle which needs more stretching.  I learned I can adjust to a crowd; I feel lonelier than I thought I would when in sparsely populated areas; and my Goldilocks middle ground is appreciated when it happens, but I can be OK with whatever comes.

Celebrate discomfort! ©

Namaste, donnajurene

Photo Credit:  Copyright: <a href='https://www.123rf.com/profile_racorn'>racorn / 123RF Stock Photo</a>