Autobiography of a fledgling Yogi
Today marks 50 days (give or take) since I woke up at dawn, one Wednesday morning, to birds chirping (my alarm), and wondering how many days my latest endeavor is going to last.
50 days, so far.
This might not sound too impressive, but it is a significant milestone for me, because I rarely keep up the enthusiasm with which I start something new. There's the initial excitement phase, then the period of high activity, where you're determined to prove to yourself you can keep it up, and finally the reluctance to continue, because you've found something else which interest you now, or you just don't feel like it anymore. A vicious cycle, which usually lasts between 20-25 days.
The silver lining to this abysmal routine is that the ones which did slip through, have endured to become a habit.
Last month, my friend and I signed up for a Yoga class. My goals were to increase my strength and be more active and focused on what I do. While I was all excited and pumped up for this activity (again), I was also cautiously optimistic, given my track record. I had tried, and failed, at doing Yoga at home - there just wasn't enough motivation to wake up early in the morning.
I felt signing up for a class would be better for a few reasons -
1. Group activities encourage participation and increase motivation.
2. Instructors would teach me how to do the asanas right.
3. I will be spending money, so I'd want to make use of it.
I also thought, I'd be good at it since we had Yoga at school for around seven years. The first class gave me a rude awakening. I was left with choppy breath, a sore body and a hurt ego, realizing this wasn't going to be a piece of cake at all.
Yoga here is different, yet familiar. If there was a cross between aerobics and traditional yoga, that'd be the American version of Yoga. The asana names are odd to hear as well; hat tip - there are more than a few animal based poses.
The focus and punctuality of the instructor, and the students, is stimulating. The classes are tough, but not impossible. Every class usually begins and ends with a collective chant of "Om", followed by various strength and breathing based exercises. The ability to maintain a steady breathing pattern as we navigate through various postures, is the main intent. Core strength is heavily tested (ab crunches anyone?), and so is our ability to flex different parts of our body.
What impressed me most, and is probably one of the main reasons I persisted, is the lack of one-upmanship among the yogis. We are encouraged to not think of class as a competition among each other, but rather as a practice, which is unique to each individual. Unlike a gym, where your drive is propelled by others outperforming you, here, there is a sense of calm and mutual respect for each student's capabilities.
So, has it had any effect? Absolutely.
My concentration at work has improved, I feel active throughout the day, and I hardly sleep late anymore. It has also enabled me to regulate my eating habits; no more skipping breakfast.
Looking back, there were many days, where we couldn't get ourselves out of bed, but we pushed that extra step, in order to not break the routine. I'm glad we did.
Have I acquired a new habit? Sure seems that way.
50 days, so far.
This might not sound too impressive, but it is a significant milestone for me, because I rarely keep up the enthusiasm with which I start something new. There's the initial excitement phase, then the period of high activity, where you're determined to prove to yourself you can keep it up, and finally the reluctance to continue, because you've found something else which interest you now, or you just don't feel like it anymore. A vicious cycle, which usually lasts between 20-25 days.
The silver lining to this abysmal routine is that the ones which did slip through, have endured to become a habit.
Last month, my friend and I signed up for a Yoga class. My goals were to increase my strength and be more active and focused on what I do. While I was all excited and pumped up for this activity (again), I was also cautiously optimistic, given my track record. I had tried, and failed, at doing Yoga at home - there just wasn't enough motivation to wake up early in the morning.
I felt signing up for a class would be better for a few reasons -
1. Group activities encourage participation and increase motivation.
2. Instructors would teach me how to do the asanas right.
3. I will be spending money, so I'd want to make use of it.
I also thought, I'd be good at it since we had Yoga at school for around seven years. The first class gave me a rude awakening. I was left with choppy breath, a sore body and a hurt ego, realizing this wasn't going to be a piece of cake at all.
Yoga here is different, yet familiar. If there was a cross between aerobics and traditional yoga, that'd be the American version of Yoga. The asana names are odd to hear as well; hat tip - there are more than a few animal based poses.
The focus and punctuality of the instructor, and the students, is stimulating. The classes are tough, but not impossible. Every class usually begins and ends with a collective chant of "Om", followed by various strength and breathing based exercises. The ability to maintain a steady breathing pattern as we navigate through various postures, is the main intent. Core strength is heavily tested (ab crunches anyone?), and so is our ability to flex different parts of our body.
What impressed me most, and is probably one of the main reasons I persisted, is the lack of one-upmanship among the yogis. We are encouraged to not think of class as a competition among each other, but rather as a practice, which is unique to each individual. Unlike a gym, where your drive is propelled by others outperforming you, here, there is a sense of calm and mutual respect for each student's capabilities.
So, has it had any effect? Absolutely.
My concentration at work has improved, I feel active throughout the day, and I hardly sleep late anymore. It has also enabled me to regulate my eating habits; no more skipping breakfast.
Looking back, there were many days, where we couldn't get ourselves out of bed, but we pushed that extra step, in order to not break the routine. I'm glad we did.
Have I acquired a new habit? Sure seems that way.
 |
| Do not attempt at home. If you're a T-Rex i.e. |
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