Part 1: How I Found the Mat

We come to the mat for different reasons. And when we arrive there, we find something that keeps us coming back sometimes the next day; sometimes weeks, months or years later. I was reading Stephen Cope’s book Yoga and the Quest for the True Self recently and found myself thinking back to the beginning of my yoga journey.

I was in my 30s suffering from some pretty significant back pain. I was diagnosed with scoliosis as a teenager, so knew that I had to take care of my back, but young children, a full-time job, and a new home to care for left little time to take care of me. There was something in 2005 that made me sign-up for an 8-week yoga class at the gym in the building where I worked. I’d heard about yoga, but didn’t know what to expect.

I arrived at the gym and found the ‘studio’ was in the middle of a running track, next to the stationary bikes and treadmills, the lights were bright, it was loud and I didn’t know any different. I was self-conscious because I wasn’t the athletic type. Our instructor was a former dancer and wanted to make sure we did all of the poses correctly. I remember her guiding me into my first warrior I, tree, and bridge pose. And then there was savasana at the end. I remember the feeling at the end of class – refreshed and like I’d just received a full body massage. I came back each of the 8 weeks, learning new poses and feeling better in my body each time. I couldn’t remember enough to do much at home.

The next class I signed up for was in a different location with a different instructor. The lights were dim, there was ‘yoga music’ playing, and the only people around were my fellow students. While we came from varied backgrounds – college professor, retired couple, family-owned business, and nurse we became a group or what I may have later called a sangha. Several of us practiced together for several years. I continued to learn and grow in my practice. Poses such as eagle, warrior II, and cobra made me feel strong, while lion’s breath generated a little humor, and crow created humility and something to keep working on. The guided relaxation at the end of class was the best! I loved yoga class, I loved the way I felt afterwards, I loved learning and I still only practiced once a week.

And I kept coming back. My next teachers were a mother – daughter team. They taught me more about using the breath to deepen my practice. There was a little more about meditation. We began to explore more yoga philosophy like the Yamas and Niyamas. It was the same as before yet it was so very different. They guided me into poses and then encouraged me to let my body experience the pose – it didn’t have to look a specific way; I could explore how it felt. I remember the first time they taught a restorative class – You what? – use all kinds of props to get really comfortable and rest in a shape?! Give me more of this yoga.

Around this time, I began to know that yoga was something special and that someday I wanted to be able to guide people on their journey. And I began to practice yoga occasionally at home. Join me in October for Part 2 What Keeps Me Coming Back to the Mat…