Being Limber

Being Limber

The eight limbs of yoga are something that I have always been somewhat interested in. I became familiar with them some years ago when our World Cultures I class toured a Hindu temple. However, something that I just recently came to know and understand are the yamas. These five somewhat simple principles hold the key to leading a fulfilling life that impacts the world. Without realizing, I had been practicing the yamas (or trying to) for nearly my whole life. These were originally guided by my Christian beliefs and personal beliefs. 

The first and possibly most important yama to me is nonviolence. This is the largest reason why I went vegetarian in the first place and why I am transitioning into a vegan lifestyle. I believe that humans are put on this earth to care for and nurture it and its inhabitants. To do that, we must be inherently nonviolent and merciful. Next, one that I have chosen to practice from a very young age is celibacy. My Christian faith teaches me that I am to save myself for my future spouse. This is something that my fiancé and I have completely agreed on, which, in my opinion, has been one of the reasons why our relationship has worked out as well as it did. The renunciation of unnecessary possessions is something that I think the entire world could benefit from practicing. In Christian homes in North America alone, we have the funds to solve extreme global poverty, which is when someone is living on less than $1.25 a day. Currently, if everyone were to go on a vegetarian or vegan diet, we would have enough food to feed everyone. The problem is the way the food is distributed in excess to some populations while others have none at all. Overall, the yamas have proven to be one of the most interesting and important concepts I have learned through the yoga sutras

Class last week was great and greatly missed. Not having the class Thursday did free up a large chunk of my time, and I was able to go back to my apartment and take care of my cat at three rather than at 5 only to run back to campus in an hour to teach my yoga class. So, having the extra time was greatly appreciated. However, having this time to practice yoga, not teach, but practice, is something that I look forward to all week. You truly never realize how much you  enjoy something until you no longer can do it (which also applies to the cursed boot). 

The day we did have class was very enjoyable. The new twists are greatly appreciated, seeing as I have a naturally tight back that thoroughly enjoys being stretched out. Also, the longer savasana was wonderful. I really enjoy having time to meditate and still everything in my body to come to perceive the soul. There truly is no other feeling like that. One thing I would like to see in class is maybe some guided meditation, but mainly leg work to work towards getting in the splits. I have recently decided to follow a dream I always had of being a ballet dancer after having that dream thwarted at a very young age by my parents with staunch gender roles and ideas. My splits used to be beautiful and effortless while I was still cheering. However, since I have stopped cheering for a while, they have gotten a lot harder and not as flat.

My personal practice has continued to flourish thanks to this class. Every class I teach, I let the students ask any questions they have either about yoga or me. I have had more and more students asking questions about the origins and philosophy of yoga. After having taken this class, I feel like I can give my students a fuller experience that they would not be able to receive elsewhere. 

Also, in one of my classes, I had a woman greatly try my beliefs in nonviolence. While I was in the middle of teaching my class, she rolls up her mat and gets up. I was thinking "Okay, she must have somewhere to go or be, no biggie." However, she proceeds to come up to the front of the class where I am, in front of all of the students, and wait for me to finish what I was saying to talk to me. I finished instructing the students for the immediate poses and then dealt with her. She immediate came off very hostile and aggressive, asking if this is the structure of all of my classes because it was just "way too hard for her." The segment that she was protesting was an option of 3 different arm balance poses and preps that ranged greatly from beginner to expert and headstands that also included the preps. She was incredibly hostile telling me that I was not a good teacher and that she was leaving and not going to return, despite me offering to even give her a basic flow to go through one-on-one. She was apparently "years away" from doing any of the preps even. 

This woman was very impressive however, because she was able to judge how well I teach and what each and every class I teach will look like after coming to only two of my classes, not consecutively. Keep in mind that I had three first timers in the class that she said was too hard for her, and she had been practicing for a few months. So, needless to say, I had to focus on practicing nonviolence with her. It was very inspiring, however, to have many of my students apologize on her behalf and say that they would not have been able to handle her in such a good manner like I apparently did. There is a silver lining to everything.

Until next time, my fellow yogis and yoginis, 

Namasté,

Upward-facing Bear