First day of yoga

So, yesterday was my first day of yoga at yoga nine in LBI. In preparation I did an hours worth of stretching the night before, so I would be slightly limber for my yoga session. My preparation didn't end up helping out that much, each move was still a challenge.

The studio itself is quaint, just a room with hardwood floors. In one corner of the room is a desk with a computer, and next to the desk is a couch. Surrounding the desk and couch are a myriad of yoganine merchandise, and some yoga videos. Also in this nook of the room is the shelving unit that has all the yoga mats, yoga blocks, blankets, and bolsters on it.

The instructor had her mat set up at the front of the studio, and at the back of the studio she had a cd player, playing music.

Before the class began, she explained to us that the days session would be focusing on opening up the sides. Then we began with childs pose, with our head on the yoga block. We held the childs pose for a considerable amount of time. (note to self: use a blanket as padding next time because my knees and shins were in some pain) It is hard for me to remember the exact order we went in and every position that we did. In every position that we were in though, she told us to focus on driving into the floor, whether it be our hands in upward dog, or our feet. The most consistent reminders she gave us were drive into the floor, focus on your breathing, and feel the inner parts of your feet and legs pushing toward each other, or engage the legs. She talked about prana when she told us to breath, "let the toxins out and new life in."

We only did one balance posture, or only one that I consider to be a balance posture, which was tree.

To end the session we layed in corpse for a while, probably close to ten minutes. During that time period, she read us a passage from a book about nature. "Wouldn't it be funny if the trees got sad in the fall because their leaves fall off....wouldn't it be funny if the rain got sad in the summer because the rainbows didn't last...wouldn't it be funny if the flowers got sad in the spring because they had to close up at night..." I can't remember the whole thing or the exact order, but I do remember those particular lines.

Overall, it was a good experience. I felt my muscles loosen up, and blood circulate better through my body. I look forward to the next session.