giving yoga a second chance

Fast forward 35 years. I have just retired and except for golf, I now feel disinterested in those fast paced activities. I need something new, something that will carry me into my advancing years and compliment my growing passion for golf. Hmm, yoga? Yes! 

I have to admit It wasn’t an easy transition, from aerobic workouts to stretching, bending, balancing and so many poses to learn. Not to mention yoga hadn’t changed over the years, there is still lying in stillness at the end of every class. I would learn it’s an actual yoga pose called savasana, a.k.a. corpse pose.

The easiest pose in yoga would turn out to be the most challenging for me. I would think “a total waste of time” and would discreetly do leg lifts for a bit of “ab” work. I hung in there, doing a few classes a week, and before I knew it, I was hooked. It wasn’t too long after that I caught myself in savasana, relishing in the stillness, enjoying the serenity of letting go and just being: no ab work. This yogini has mastered her first yoga pose.

Now, fast forward another ten years. I had no expectations over the past decade; I enjoyed yoga, so I did it. I showed up for classes and went with the flow, pun intended. Practicing regularly has brought steady progress and every once in a while, usually unexpectedly, my body takes me to a new place that I once thought impossible. These unexpected moments are inspiring but more importantly yoga is keeping my body strong and healthy. It has also created a calmness within that serves me well both on and off the mat. Giving yoga another chance was a very good decision!