My First Yoga

 

     I put the mat down on the dirty floor in front of me. The room we were in was a secluded area of the gym, one I had never been to before. The people around me seemed anxious for class to begin.

     I, on the other hand, was staring at everything and everyone with a puzzled look on my face, unsure of what I was doing there. I was in yoga class.

    Now, I am not the kind of woman who goes to the gym on a regular basis. In fact, I rarely go to the gym, thanks to my busy work schedule. My days are filled from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep. With that kind of schedule, who would want to include a workout?

    I had often heard that yoga is beneficial to your health. It increases flexibility, strength, muscle tone, and breathing. California State University, Fresno, yoga instructor Jessica Agtrap said, “It’s the best thing a woman could do for herself in terms of keeping healthy physically and mentally.”

   Exercise, as we all know, is beneficiary to our health. All women should be practicing some form of physical exercise to stay healthy and fit, and yoga is the perfect practice.   

   Not only can it make you healthier, but it also makes you look better. If Madonna does yoga and looks that great in her 50s, I can at least give it a try.

   The first thing that caught my attention was the yoga instructor. She was about 45 years old with hair that reached her hips. She told us that class would begin in five minutes. She spoke just like any of us.

   Then, she turned on the music, which had a soothing meditative feel to it. All of a sudden her voice changed to reflect the music. She now spoke in a soft, calming voice, one that made you want to fall asleep. Her words had a rhythm to them, almost as if she was singing them rather than speaking them.

   We began the class by lying on a yoga mat. I had to use the yoga mat provided by the gym, and who knows how many bodies had sweated on it before me. I suggest you bring a towel to put over the mat or buy your own; you never know what you can catch these days.

   We laid on our backs with our hands and feet down on the floor. We listened to a voice on the tape that instructed us how to breathe correctly.

   I thought to myself, what have I gotten myself into? I know how to breathe just fine; every time I take a breath I feel fine.

   I was kidding myself, and it wasn’t until I followed his instruction for breathing that I learned I was actually breathing incorrectly. We are supposed to breathe in for three seconds, hold for two seconds and breathe out for three. This allows our muscles to receive a better exchange of oxygen.

   Yoga class is broken up into two sections. There is a physical part of yoga, which helps strengthen and tone muscles, and there is a meditative part. We began the physical part.

   The stretches and poses are not difficult, but some are a bit awkward. For example, there is a posture called the headstand preparation. It required me to put my forehead on the dirty, sweaty mat. That wasn’t the worst part. I had to lift my body up and balance my weight on my head with the support of my arms.

    I hadn’t been in a position like this since I was in gymnastics almost a decade ago. But that wasn’t the worst part either.

   There were quite a few people in this yoga class. The music had been turned off so all we could hear was people attempting this posture. I think I was tightening my muscles too hard, when all of a sudden, I broke the silence of the room. I farted.

   I thought I was going to just die. My face got instantly hot and turned bright red; I don’t know if it was from the embarrassment or from being upside down.

   I was shocked, however, by the reaction of the class. Nobody paid it any mind. It was as if it always happened.

   Shanda Krepp, 25, said, “I remember the first time I took yoga. I was exercising next to a lady, and she cut the cheese. I tried not to laugh, but everyone else acted like it didn’t happen.” 

   Come to find out, it is a pretty normal thing. I figured if they were cool with hearing a fart or two, I might as well give it my all without holding anything back, if you know what I mean.

    Yoga class was over before I knew it. I finished the physical part with only minor injuries to my ego and moved into the meditation, which was my favorite part. I mentioned how stressful my days are, and the 30 minutes of meditation was just what I needed to refresh me.

    You feel 10 times better leaving the class than you did when you entered. Melissa Molesworth, 22, a California State University, Fresno, yoga student, said, “I found what helps me deal with stress. It’s taking yoga and I recommend it for anyone.”

    I was skeptical about taking a yoga class. When I saw pictures of yoga, I saw women in poses with one leg up, looking like flamingos. I saw a picture of another woman in a posture where her feet were touching her head. If you ask me, those postures aren’t natural and I have no interest in doing them.

    But yoga is more than just a difficult posture. It is the training behind being able to pose in such a manner. The flexibility and strength it takes to execute a difficult posture are the training you will receive in yoga.

    I recommend every woman take a yoga class at least once. I felt accomplished and relaxed after my first yoga class. I went home that night and slept better than I had in weeks. My muscles had been stretched in ways they hadn’t been stretched in years. It felt great.

    Regardless of how fit or unfit you are, you should give yoga a shot. I know just how busy a woman’s life is and trust me, I found the answer to our problems; well, figuratively speaking, of course.

   Yoga can’t cure all of our problems, but it does help us stay healthy and positive. Women, get up and go yoga.