Yoga, A Barn and Relaxation

This weekend I attended my very first yoga retreat.  A yoga retreat has been on my to do list (or 30 before 30 list) for a few years now, but to be honest I never thought I would actually go to one.  Since having a baby I figured that taking the time away and finding the money for it would never actually happen.  Well then the yoga studio that I go to had a local retreat for $50.  Yes, $50!

What I learned from this was that first of all you don't have to travel across the province, or across countries to have a successful retreat.  You just have to drive 15 minutes to a barn outside of town.  Once there, I knew that I was there for the day.  The baby was taken care of and I had nothing else to do except for immerse myself in a day of relaxation, fitness and fun.  And this barn wasn't just any barn.  It was beyond gorgeous inside and the fact that it was a rainy day was actually perfect.  It was so cozy.

I went with my sister Tali and our friend Kim.  We started the day with an hour and a half long vigorous yoga class.  The teacher Nerine is fantastic!  I have never been to a more difficult yoga class than one of hers, but that's what I love about them.  Sure I love that yoga can be relaxing, but I also love when I feel like I really worked out.  And let me tell you, her classes are a workout!  This class was perfect.  There were times that I had to come out of the lunges because my legs felt like they were going to collapse beneath me, but that's ok!

Next we had a delicious and healthy lunch.  My sister is always trying to get everyone to eat healthier, but I love pasta and chocolate.  But the stew we had that was made with veggies and chick peas and placed on top of couscous was delicious!

After lunch we went for a hike along the river.  It was pouring rain but I'm so glad that Nerine talked me into going.  When else are you going to go for a walk in the rain?  Sometimes it's nice to just let go.  I can admit that I can be somewhat uptight, so to let go of that and get a bit wet and dirty felt great.  

The afternoon had a rejuvenating yoga class, meditation and some adjustment massage.  It was all about relaxing. 

I think it was the most relaxing and fulfilling day that I have ever had.  If I'm going to have a baby free day it was exactly what I wanted to be doing!  I can't wait until the next one.

Challenge Accepted

I went to a Ying/Yan yoga class last night, which is different from the typical Moksha class that I go to.  I guess it's more about a really challenging practice, followed by holding some more replenishing poses for longer periods of time. 

Basically my shoulders hated me about half an hour into it.

So, the teacher wanted us to do this:


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And in my head I said: she crazy!  But she made it look so easy, and I couldn't do it.  So now I have been practicing at home because I just can't stand the fact that I can't do it, and it's nice to have something to work towards.

We also did shoulder stands.  This was even more frustrating when I couldn't do it because it looks so easy.  And guess what, it is easy!  I think that in class I was just afraid of being a spaz and everyone seeing me fall.  



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So I guess what I'm trying to say is that from time to time, I like to challenge myself.  Yoga is so much of the same despite the fact that every class is different.  The postures may make me feel different from one day to the next, but overall I can do most of them.  I like having a few that I can work towards.  And also, how sweet will I look next time I pull out that top pose at a party!

Some Like It Hot

Source: Uploaded by user via Sami on Pinterest

Yoga is something that is very important to me. I have talked about it on the blog a few times before, but today I want to really focus on it.

I first tried yoga about 3 years ago.  I came out of that class feeling invigorated and surprisingly happy.  Since then, I have tried to make hot yoga part of my weekly exercise routine.  I usually try to go once per week.  I would go more, but the studio is half an hour from home and it's just not convenient enough.  If I had a studio around the corner though, I might be an unlimited yoga, I don't do any other exercise type of person.

Some tips for hot yoga:

• Don't expect to be good at it immediately:  like any exercise, it takes practice and you will never be perfect.  The other people in the class aren't judging, they know that everybody has to start sometime.
• Every day is different.  Some days I feel awesome, some days I can't hold a balance posture.  Yoga makes you realize how little control you have over your body.  But on strong days, it's amazing how much control you can have.  That might not make sense to many people.
• Hydration.  Drink a lot of water before and after class
• Don't feel like you need to push yourself every day.  Even now, there are times when I get light headed during a class and lying down is the best thing for me at that point.
• Don't worry about the sweat.  A lot of people tell me that they don't think they would like it because of the sweat.  I don't like to sweat either, who does?  But this sweat is cleansing and it doesn't really seem to bother me, so give it a shot!



 

Source: myyogaon.tumblr.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Someday...

Reasons to do yoga:

• It's a full body workout: cardio, strength, flexibility
• You can lose weight doing it, I have seen it happen
• Relaxation: there's just something about it that leaves you all relaxed and happy afterwards
• It makes your body feel good: I notice my back hurting if I haven't been to class in a couple of weeks, my whole body feels better if I go to a class
• It makes you more aware of your body and its abilties and inabilities

Basically, I recommend yoga to everybody because you can get whatever you are looking for out of it.  It's really a mind, body and soul workout.  Also, if you want to try it, a lot of hot yoga studios have trial deals.  A month unlimited for $40, or  a week unlimited for $20.  As long as you go a couple of times, it's worth the money.  So what's holding you back?

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

"It's what you learn after you know

it all that counts"

I saw this quote on a chalk board at yoga last night.  It got me thinking.  It especially hit me after the yoga class that I did.  I have been doing yoga for about 3 years now.  I have gotten much better at it.  I still challenge myself and go deeper into poses, but it's not like the beginning where holding each pose was a struggle. 

But last night I struggled.  I ate enough yesterday, I got enough sleep the night before and I drank water all day, I should have been fine.  It was like my body was reminding me "Hey, you belong to me and I'm the boss".  I may think I have control, but there are things going on with my body that I have no idea about.  Or it was just trying to bump me down a notch by reminding me that I'm not that good at yoga, so don't get too cocky.

I'm still thinking about that quote though and how it applies to life other than yoga.  It's pretty deep, isn't it? 

Cause I'm cool like that....not...

This Week in Yoga Land

Last night I went to yoga (yay on keeping up my resolution for more than one week!), and something happened that had never happened before.

You begin and end the class in savasana.  Savasana is a fancy yoga word for lying down.  Like nap time, but not.  You are supposed to completely empty your mind.  Do you know how hard this is?  Our minds are always running.  I usually lie there and think about a million things, and then think about how I'm supposed to be thinking nothing. We talk to ourselves constantly.  (Maybe that's just me?  I'm pretty sure everyone must do this).  But last night, for the first time in my three years of yoga, my mind was empty.  (That is until I started congratulating myself on having an empty mind).  But really, we did savasana three times, and all three times, my mind wasn't running.  I wasn't talking to myself.  It was a weird feeling.  But it felt so good.  Kind of hazy. 

Maybe a lot of people reach this point before I did.  I don't know.  But for me, I think that I just broke through a major barrier.  I'm super proud of myself!

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I'm a Yogi

I don't know if someone who takes a six month yoga break can consider themselves a yogi.  I don't know what happened.  I just was down to one pass, didn't want to take the time to go to a class and didn't have money to buy more passes.  Yoga is expensive you know!

But....I went back.  And it's my new resolution to go once a week again.  I don't go more than this because the studio is half an hour from home and I have to kill an hour and a half after work to go on my way home, so once a week is basically my limit.

So Wednesday was my first day back in forever.  I was scared.  Yoga is hard.  It's hot yoga that I do, and when you aren't used to the heat and haven't been in it for awhile, sometimes dizziness takes over.  But not this time it didn't!  I was phenomenal.  I was balanced.  I was flexible.  I didn't have to take any breaks.  It might have been because it was a brand new teacher and it was easier than most classes....but I prefer to think that I'm just awesome.

I came out of the class feeling energized and refreshed.  Happier.  Proud of myself.  Yoga gives you this indescribable feeling.  If I could do it 7 days a week, I would.

It's good to be back.

This isn't me.  But I do know her.  It's the lovely Pauline from Power Yoga Canada