No fear

In my introductory class a couple years ago, my instructor asked us to "roll into the wall" in a somersault fashion and i remembered being terrified to even attempt something so unfamiliar and unusual. I didn't want to hurt myself. I didn't want to embarrass myself. I didn't want to make a loud THUD when i positioned myself against the wall. This feeling came again several times-- while learning shoulderstand, headstand and a few others that required feet to be off the earth.

Last night, my teacher modeled handstand for us-- placing the hands, keeping the arms firm and the shoulders into the back ribs, and pushed off the floor, swinging the legs carefully into a supported handstand against the wall.

Without hesitation, I set up my hands, arms and shoulders, pushed off quickly and swung my feet upward to meet the wall with a small thud. What a gift to feel confident enough to try without fear.

Why did you start to practice yoga? Why do you practice today?

Many of us start a yoga class seeking peace or stress reduction or weight loss. While all of these can be benefits of a continued practice, it is quickly realized that yoga is something much bigger than merely receiving one benefit to one need.

Why did you take a yoga class or purchase an instructional dvd or book? Why do you continue to practice, or want to?

Your posts are important--many of us learn best by learning through others! Whether you are just beginning now, or have years under your belt, please don't hesitate to share your thoughts.

Peace & good wishes!
Stephanie

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    Brenna Talley As a complete rookie, I am not yet familiar with the sanskrit terms, only the layman's warrior, tree, down dog. I absolutely loved my weekly class - that hour where we were all so centered on the strength of our bodies, the relaxation the breathing gave, the concentration lent to your purpose of the day, but it was only a 4 wk beginner class. I am now looking forward to investigating one of the referral studios they offered, and hoping my pocketbook will accommodate a continued weekly (or more frequent!) time to explore the introspection and physical challenge this first class offered.

    February 11, 2009 at 7:59pm · 
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    Celeste Humes I starting doing yoga because I thought improving my flexibility would keep me young. After one class I was hooked. I now have been practicing for 3 years. I do feel younger and more fit but the bigger benefit has been my inner peace and more open mind.
    
    I practiced today because I have a cold and the heated room and sweating makes me feel better.

    February 13, 2009 at 6:07pm · 
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    Craig Mackie 
    I came to Iyengar by an indirect but I suspect frequently travelled path about 5 years ago.
    
    I went to my GP about a stomach condition related to stress. She suggested a meditation class. I said "good one" and didn't go. After about the 4th trip to the GP I finally gave in and I went and did meditation. It was helpful and I still use aspects of it in my life today.
    
    During one meditation class we did some very basic gentle yoga poses. I immediately enjoyed it. I joined a class. It wasn't quite "boot camp" enough for me so I simply went down the road to another yoga school. It happened to be an Iyengar school.
    
    I knew nothing about this type of yoga before I started but it clicked with me. I say with love and understanding that Iyengar people I have met tend to be very similar. No-nonsense types. Self-disciplined. Perfectionists. Just a teeny bit obsessive compulsive. So yeah - I felt right at home, and stayed!
    
    ...And my stress levels have decreased as a result.
    
    See you on the mats guys!
    
    Craig from Hobart ( next stop Antartica )

    February 15, 2009 at 8:34pm · 
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    Stephanie Wallingford thanks for this craig! i enjoyed your perspective on iyengar students and could relate to some of those tendencies!

    February 22, 2009 at 8:03pm · 
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    Evie Vola Why i did start to practice yoga? I can't remember, because i think it was, when i'm being a child. I liked to stand on my head or arms. I made something like Sarvangasana, Halasana, Urdhva-Dhanurasana etc., and I felt fine by making these things.
    When I was 15, i found a book with photos of a wonderful indian women, which shows different asanas. I knew what I wanted to learn...
    But it tooks 15 years again to find the right teachers. In this time I realized, yoga can be so different and everyone has to find the best school for himself.
    I found it in the clear, precise style of I-Yoga.
    
    Namaste

    February 23, 2009 at 1:39pm · 
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    Stephanie Wallingford Brenna,
    The sanskrit is intimidating but it is so much more descriptive about which parts of the body you're using and in some cases which direction they're heading--much more helpful that our american/english translations.
    
    The best book to buy if you're looking for photos, learning the sanskrit names and explanations of how to do each pose in the correct manner is is "Light on Yoga" which is the bible of yoga. Many books have photos that do not show the correct way to perform a pose and/or explain how to start, build on, and achieve the correct position in each pose through practice and effort.
    

    February 23, 2009 at 3:29pm · 
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    Evie Vola Sorry my interjectment in your discussion about books, photos and learning the sanskrit names. I lived for very long terms of time in regions, without possibilities to find a Yogateacher. So i was lucky to have books where i could learn, looking for correct positions and having practice. The best book for doing this, was from Silva,Mira & Shyam Mehta called "Yoga - The Iyengar Way".
    This book was so much useful for me.
    It can't replace a teacher, but it's helpful to remember the introductions of the last lessons.
    I would say, your right, Stephanie, "Light on Yoga" is the bible. But "Yoga - The Iyengar Way" is the catechism.
    LG
    Evelyne

    February 23, 2009 at 4:30pm · 
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    Jeanne Bourgeois I started yoga because a friend of mine asked me to. I am about 60Lbs over weight and thought it would be a good way to lose weight.
    
    I am continually amazed by the emotional, mental, and physical changes I see everyday. I have been practicing for 7 months now and I have a completely different out look on life. I love how yoga teaches us to balance the push and pull of muscles on our bones and in turn teaches us to balance our life.

    April 11, 2009 at 3:59pm · 
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    Stephanie Wallingford Jeanne, thanks for adding that. Balance is something I've learned from yoga too--that and the cycle of challenging yourself and then letting yourself relax into it, and over and over. that is how we improve. . .in yoga and in life.

    September 15, 2009 at 8:11am · 

Why did you choose your type of yoga?

As a free-spirited, by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl, I often wonder why I ended up practicing IYENGAR yoga. There is something about the preciseness of alignment and steps to follow that disciplines me in a way that I need, I think. It is very systematic and linear which provides some much needed balance in my life! 

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Look Ma! No hands!

I was struck at class last night by how comfortable we become in doing certain poses, even when we believe we are challenging ourselves. Last night, we were asked to place our hands in namasgar (reverse namaste), and i was amazed how many problems that created for me. Our instructor explained the importance of removing the hands from the practice of the pose to continue to challenge ourselves and focus on different parts of the body in balance. I fell out of the pose a couple times and had to use my hands to catch myself, but it was an eye-opening experience to see how much we rely on hands/arms even in a pose like Virabhadrasana II, when the focus is on the legs, hips, spine. Are there small things you've been asked to do that changed your perspective on a pose, or shifted your attention to a new area?

Relax the face!

While practicing Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) my second favorite instructor noticed several people with a look of distress on their faces. While we rotated our hips outward and concentrated on pulling our buttock into the same plane as our legs, many of us felt extremely challenged and overly exerted. The instructor reminded us that to be in pain or to be in a state of extreme discomfort is passing judgement on a feeling, and that it was important to not judge a sensation to be pain or pleasure. While i take issue with the pleasure piece of that statement, he further expained that "It is impossible to move directly from a state of stress and pain into a state of enlightenment". That piece struck a chord with me. Being in the midst of all the political tension in a presidential election season--the lesson there for me was to be ready to move in a positive direction by preparing and not judging and not allowing ourselves to be venomous when we really want peace.