Yesterday was a first for me. Evelyn took me took me to a yoga class. To be more specific, chair yoga. To be more specific yet, adaptive chair yoga. She’d been to a chair yoga class the day before and thought it was just great, so she thought she’d take me to one.
I don’t think she knew this was an adaptive class. I believe that we were the only people who didn’t have some type of physical challenge. Some used canes, others wheelchairs. I believe one woman was recovering from a stroke. There was even a blind woman.
The woman teaching the class was very cool. She was a petite woman who was very metaphysical. I hadn’t actually been around anyone like her in almost 20 years. She was very serene.
She discussed how everyone faces challenges, just different challenges, and you should accept where you are and go forward from that point. She should know because she is profoundly deaf in both ears as a result of the chemo she was given to treat an auto immune disorder. Her mobility had been devastated as well. (Although I wouldn’t have known that if she hadn’t mentioned it.)
It was obvious that she’d worked very hard to get where she is now. She had my respect.
As she was talking, she’d have us try different postures. I had no problem with most of them. (A good thing since I have all my parts and they all still work.)
The breathing exercises were another matter altogether. We’d take in a breath and then she’d say “Is there more, is there more?” urging us to take in more air. I couldn’t find any more air, and felt the lesser because of it.
She taught us the frog, during which she said “You put your butt up and hang your head down”. I thought of Doug and smiled. I tapped Evelyn and said “Doug would like this one”. She chuckled in agreement.
She spoke of keeping a positive self-image and of just being accepting as things enter your world. Very Zen.
Near the end of class she had us do some chanting. The beginning of it sounded really nasally. (It wasn’t the most pleasant sound I’d ever heard.) After a couple of minutes though I was really getting into it.
I thought of Doug again thinking there’s just no way he’d ever do this. (Chant, that is.)
I liked the stretching postures. When we left class I felt really good, both mentally and physically. We’re supposed to go to class again next week. I’m looking forward to it.
I’m pondering taking a regular, non- chair, non adaptive, class when this one is over. I’m sure that will be a very different kind of experience for me, at least for the first few months, that is; and I know it won’t be pretty to watch.
So today I’m feeling very calm and peaceful. Doug and I are getting ready to go to The Woodlands YMCA and do spin art for 3 hours- outside.
I’ve had so much water that every time I take a step I can feel the water slosh around in my stomach like a storm in the North Sea. Hopefully, it will be enough so I don’t have a repeat performance of last weekend.
Have a peaceful Saturday my friends. Ohmmmmmmmmmmm………..
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i use a combo of shea butter and aloe vera moisturizer. Works great. I use shea butter on my lips, around my eyes and nose (dry areas), My father swears by vasoline.
p.s. I dropped your name on Gina's post, Barb. ;)
Dana Faulds wrote one of my favorite passages…”It only takes a reminder to breathe, a moment to be still, and just like that something within me settles, softens, makes space for imperfection. The harsh voice of judgment drops to a whisper and I remember again that life is not a relay race; that we will all cross the finish line; that waking up to life is what we were born for. As many times as I catch myself charging forward without even knowing where I am going, that many times I can make the choice to stop, to breathe, and be, and walk slowly into the mystery.” Yoga is a way of life, a conscious act, a handbook for living. Yoga is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not a command performance about how far you can reach your toes or how many repetitions you can perform. Its about honoring your body, letting of of expectations of how you think you should be and accepting with gratitude how things are in the present moment. True yoga begins when you step off your mat. How compassionate can you be to yourself and others? How much can you refrain from judgement and love and accept yourself and others? For it to truly be called yoga, its essence must be embodied. As you transform within, your inner light radiates peace outward making a positive difference in the world!
I love that Kim is very beautiful and i really believe in all you say as i try my best to be compassionate, etc. However, the instructor really does expect one to stretch and touch your toes and other positions that i could not even dare to do, i would probably break something. I rather sit with my legs under me and meditate and chant. I want that type of class.
Hi Kim. You sound so knowledgeable you must be a long time practitioner. Our teacher was really stressing self-acceptance. It’s a good thing to remember when it’s so easy to get down because of this or that. I really did enjoy the class, a lot more than I thought I would.
Regular yoga is hard, except if you are limber or flexible then you can probably do it easier than i who cannot touch my toes. I can do spinning, heavy weights and 3 sets of 30 on any of the weight exercises (then cannot walk the next day, but i do it). But yoga I cannot do it. Lolita my trainer, she tried at least 10 classes and couldn’t stretch enough either. It has nothing to do if you are thin or heavy. My friend in PR is very big and she can touch the floor with the palm of the hand. She can do a split and she is 240 lbs.! There is a machine at the gym that one kneels and you pull yourself up… what i do is that i hang from it. At 5:30 a.m. it feels really good. Then i go ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, i guess you can call that chanting. I really want to do easy yoga, so i am thinking of joining a senior citizen one. The lady at our gym is very good, excellent, but she is too hard for me. I hope you continue going so that you can give me some tips. The butt up and then head down i did not get it 100%. I am assuming that you put your hands on the arm rest pull yourself up and then put your head down. Mine will only get to the upper part of my chest. That does not sound right.
Hi Lynette. I think you’re exactly right; weight has little to do with flexibility. I too can do the splits and I’m not a body double for Kate Moss or Calista Flockhart! I’ll double check the butt up, head down at the next class and let you know. Could be I got it backasswards. (You know me.)
I almost didn’t go because I was afraid it’d be like “Sit and be Fit”. That show had been on PBS here for 20 years I think. I’m sure it’s good for it’s intended target audience, but it looks sooo boring.
There used to be a program on PBS with a woman named Peggy Cappy. It was called Yoga For The Rest Of Us. It is available on DVD. She had students in their 80′s and 90′s as well as younger people who had physical restrictions. I was active in yoga for a few years but knee problems have kept me off the mat for a while and my body is missing it terribly. I have been thinking about getting the DVD and trying it out.
Perhaps Lynette could do that DVD. She said she was thinking of trying a senior yoga class. Thanks Flower Bear.
I just discovered a new chant from the Dr. Weil website. The chant you say is ” SA TA NA MA” draw the S and the A out when you say it. Like the sound of the wind coming from your mouth…
It is a kundalini yoga. Each chant has a meaning… but, I can’t remember it…:)
Google it- it is very relaxing… I’m hooked. Try it-you’ll like it
Good morning Birdlover. I have chair yoga again this morning, Our instructor actually taught us this chant just before the end of class last time. She says the SA very nasally. I can’t quite get the pitch of it yet. It is cool though. Thanks.