Class Two, 90 Degrees

I exit the studio and the first thing I see in focus is Spencer's Butte enveloped in mist and a flow of fifty degree autumn air greets me on the inhale.

Life. This is wonderful.

This was my second class at ZenYoga since signing up for a four month commitment and my fourth class led by Michael.

It's like Michael knew I would twist my wrist to set up for natarajasana. I do it every time. He brings my attention to it, I giggle, make a comment, like, "I do it backwards every time," or "I'll get it right one day." I never practiced natarajasana in my other class and I have to connect my brain and body to make this pose a reality. That's part of the magic.

This morning, our class of nine women was led into both my favorite and least favorite poses. My least favorite pose, ushtra asana, or camel pose, has always been the most difficult for me to engage in. I got about 2% closer to wrapping my fingers around the back of my ankles while bent backwards and standing on my knees. It felt like an improvement and that's what I'm hoping for. I don't know why I have such a hard time with the camel. Maybe it's because I was called Camel by a teasing uncle as a kid. Maybe because it's so effing hard to do!

My favorite asana is kapotasana, pigeon pose. It looks beautiful when done by a well practiced yogi/yogini and it feels so good to be able to bring my body into a seemingly difficult posture. I would like to get my front leg more parallel to the front of the room. Eventually my pigeon will become more limber and fly away.

The high I feel after finishing a class is a beautiful, blissful connection to myself, to Earth, to Heaven; It's a triad of euphoria. I actually see colors more vividly. Time is lengthened.

I have to say that in comparison to the first three hot yoga classes I attended, the 60 minute sessions are much more tolerable and beneficial now that I can breathe through my nose. Go figure. Also, with sweat dripping into my eyes while stretching to my maximum, the physical aspect of yoga is so much easier than the some of the niyamas (the soulful, intimate and personal laws we adopt as a code of conduct for living) of a yogic practice. Specifically, for myself, the first niyama of purity: cleansing the body and more importantly, cleansing the mind of disturbing emotions. I am an Aries and am ruled by fire. It is in my blood, my emotions, my face, and my temper. Very hard to cleanse fire. Need more water. The third niyama, tapas, the disciplined use of energy, is an ongoing challenge for me. As I look deeper into the eight limbs of yoga, I see more and more aspects that I can contemplate and learn from, ponder or ignore, so let me first do the body work and then the mind work can follow.

Yogitoes towels will again be available at the studio tomorrow, so I'll go to a 4:30 class and pick one up. The first game of the World Series starts on Wednesday and I will be glued to the TV, no class that day.