On completion of Week 1 of my 30 Day Yoga Challenge I thought it would be interesting to take time to reflect back on the week, with the goal of taking these learnings and incorporating them into Week 2. I didn’t invest too much in the preparation or planning of my little yoga adventure, I just thought it seemed to be a fun idea to get me out of habits and ‘known’ territory, and to connect with other yogis.
In no particular order, here are the things that came up:
1. The intention to use this idea to connect with other yogis has: a. flown by the wayside; and b. proven near impossible due to the very nature ‘dropping in’ to studios and classes I don’t normally frequent.
Point a. pertains to the content I’ve chosen to write about and tone of voice; it has been more critique based writing than anything else which was not my intention. I would like to change this aspect of my posts but I know it will prove challenging for my opinionated mind. One idea is to write more about the overall experience and changes in my mind and body rather than the technical details of the class.
Point b. is perhaps more interesting from a satsang, community-building perspective. In the majority of classes I’ve attended the teachers seem uninterested and unaware of students who are not ‘regulars’ in their classes. This has even been the case in studios where I work, in classes of colleagues whom I’ve met before on multiple occasions! I will need to reflect on this a bit more, it is certainly something I plan to be more mindful of in my own classes.
2. Logistics have been challenging with full time work, a toddler and a husband. I need to get better at planning for my week instead of day by day. This is a general statement of self-discovery, but also one that will help each class I attend be more meaningful and appropriate. This past week I have discovered daily hour-fifteen classes too short for my personal needs, so I will need to prepare for this around my other responsibilities. I hope to be able to post this tomorrow so that any one who can make it will come and practice with me.
3. Skipping my self-practice to attend yoga classes has thrown me a little off balance, and other attachments/preference/aversions have come up as well. I am missing the regularity and solitude of my self practice. I haven’t had the time to think how to incorporate this into the month schedule, and it just may be that self practice will be limited to a meditation practice for now. I’m also surprised by just how attached/repulsed I am to certain asanas, studios, place in the room, teachers, yoga sequences, etc. I suppose this is the real work, letting go and accepting all that is around me in the present. Being content with whatever is there and with whatever comes up. A work in constant progress.
To be continued…
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