yep, i got twisted this morning, but it definitely wasn't over love. i went to my first yoga class in over a year- above cherry alley cafe (a local coffee shop). i emailed back/forth with the instructor over the past couple months- i wanted to make sure he was briefed on my limitations. i didn't want him to think i was a total amateur or totally lazy. it clearly took me awhile to make it to a class. i was nervous- i felt like mom was dropping me off for my first day at school!
it felt SO GOOD to be back in the yoga studio... the soothing music, the empty space, the simple stretching. there is something about yoga that immediately calms you- it's amazing how clear your head can feel when you don't have 8 million thoughts competing for your undivided attention. i snagged a position near the wall (i knew i'd be leaning against it at some point) and unrolled my mat. the session lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes, but i had to duck out early to get to a urologist appt in danville @ geisinger (i think we should turn this into a game- every time i mention "geisinger", you guys should... breakdance.)
i wasn't able to keep up with the instructor (or the class) for a significant portion of the session, even with modified versions of the various positions. i was pretty disappointed in myself, which i recognize (rationally) as a mental issue. i really have trouble adjusting my mindset to fit my current abilities- ie instead of being upset with myself for not keeping up with the class, i should be proud of myself for getting through over 50% of the positions! i think everyone has this problem in various aspects of their life... so, we have that in common. put it on your list for 2008 new years resolutions.
the stretching felt amazing... it's so hard to get my body to move, but if i take the time to force my arms or my legs slowly, then i usually succeed. i wound up cutting out earlier than planned- the instructor got into some advanced positions and i just couldn't cut it. (ok, rational thinking, mental mindset- i recognized that my body had enough, and stopped before i crossed that line.)
mom wasn't due to pick me up for a few minutes, so i headed downstairs to the coffee shop to snag a latte (with soy milk- augh, it's so hard to remember NO DAIRY!) i dropped my mat and bag on an empty table, and looked up to see my friend Ilene sitting across the room. Ilene is awesome- she is one of the first people I met here, and we met through my mom. mom goes to the MS Support Group in town (i avoid those things) and Ilene coordinates all the meetings and content, etc. from day 1 she told mom she would love to talk to me, anytime, about MS or just about life. she lived in NYC for a number of years, had this high powered hot shot job, big career woman. but when she was diagnosed, a lot of that changed. she and her husband live in an amazing house out in the country- the house itself is beautiful (both inside and out) but the standout feature is the view. almost 75% of the house has huge, wide paneled windows that look out over the rolling hills and fields that is central PA. if i had a view like that, it would be hard to not feel inspired every single day.
anyway, i chatted with Ilene for a bit, and she told me that she goes to a yoga class at Evan's Community Center (Evan is the hospital here in Lewisburg) that is actually chair yoga. she said it's not as aggressive, and the women that run the programs are incredibly supportive. she is going to check with the coordinator and see if she can bring a guest next friday (that would be me). i confessed that the class this morning was a bit much for me to handle, so chair yoga sounds like a great first step back into the world of yoga. alright gang, that's my life in a box for today.
peace & lattes!
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