Yoging

I have heard about these people doing yoga. In my prejudical thoughts I picture them all wearing tight long trousers and semi-tight tops with asian signs for 'peace', 'inner calmness', 'relax', 'earth', and other popular search words from The Dictionary of Pretentious New-Age Language (to my knowledge not actually existing). To many it seems enough that it is an asian sign on something for it to be cool or 'yoga', despite that the meaning of the sign might be 'arse' or 'poop' (taken from an earlier idea my sister had; including one of her asian-sign-loving-friends, and make-our-own-asian-sign-pillowcase-as-a-Christmas-gift). Since yoga seemed so popular and mainstream I was reluctant to try it, and had nothing but prejudices against the practisers. My attitude towards mainstream events/things should not come as a surprise to those of you who either know me personally or by those frequently reading my blog. Neither should it be a surprise to you that I felt obliged to try yoga as a way of challenging my prejudice against it. I did that for the first time about a month ago or so. That night, coming home and realising that what I had done on that day was among other things driving a motorbike for a couple of hours with my parents and boyfriend, and doing yoga. I did not sound like "me". If someone had told me about someone else they knew that drives a motorbike and does yoga, I would have thought that was a pretty cool person. And knowing me, I am not that cool.

And yoga was actually cool, not all that new-age as I feared. It was obviously somewhat new-age, we held our hands in a 'Namaste'-position, and said that word out loud, and we had colourful candles lit. But apart from that, and more importantly, it was first very tough static muscle work (how ever tough you wanted it to be), and then very very relaxing. I had a moment afterwards. I imagine like some feel when having a religious experience or similar. Very new-age, don't you think. If I was me, or rather "someone like me, but not me specifically", I would definitely have prejudices against me specifically. The deep relaxation part at the very end of the class is by far the best, especially after that hard static muscle work during the class. And focusing on something other than everything you need to do outside the yoga room for a whole our, like here 'on your loud nasal breathing in...and breathing out', definitely helps you relax (and gets easier for each class). I am also much more bendy. I can now, standing up without bending my knees at all, put my palms flat down on the floor. Impressed? Well you don't need to be, but I am! I am not sure 'bendy' is a success per se, but at least 'relaxed' is. And as you proably already knew (and can see in the pictures), which furry cute thing always is my inspiration.

Thanks for not giving up on me! Hopefully I am back again now.