Stretch my WHAT?

Today I went to my first yoga class.  I had to overcome the derisive laughs from certain family members who thought I'd never get up early on Saturday morning to go to a class at 8:00 a.m.  Granted that scenario is a bit of a stretch for me (pun intended).  As I mentioned previously I have been reading up on the subject in "Yoga For Dummies".  I had a lot of success with the chapter on relaxation as it put me soundly to sleep.  I figured I needed more supervision for the more physical aspects.  Fortunately a friend who teaches yoga graciously invited me as a guest to her class.  It was a great opportunity I didn't want to pass up.  

I needed to buy a yoga mat for the class.  Walmart had a skinny one for ten dollars and a cushier one for twenty.    I opted for cushy as I expected any kneeling would be painful otherwise.  No other equipment was needed so I was all set.  

 I had hoped to slip in discreetly in the rear of the room but found that only spots up front were available.  I had several personal concerns:

1. my general lack of coordination 

2. creaky joints

3. accidental flatulence.  

There were about eight other members of the class all but one were female.  None of the others were close to my size but I've been the biggest in a room many times and this did not concern me.  The class began with some breathing exercises.  Relaxation at 8:00 am is not too difficult however getting my brain to slow down is something else.  The first challenge was to find a comfortable position on the floor.  Mat or no mat I found that only sitting with my legs out straight was pain-free.  Everyone else was sitting more or less with legs crossed.  When I was a child this was called Indian position.  In these "politically correct" times I'm told that this is called the pretzel position.  

The breathing exercises were led with commands to lengthen body parts that I didn't realize I had any control over.  We slowly were instructed to move in certain poses.  Thinking I was interpreting everything accurately I would glance around and find that my body positions were nowhere near what my classmates were doing.  I did not hear anyone else grunting or creaking like I was.  Some of the standing positions found me very wobbly.  I later found that the thicker yoga mat is more apt to cause this than the skinny one.  

  I was surprised to find that one position was called "Mountain Warrior".  Yoga ways are supposed to be peaceful and serene.  The "Cobra" didn't produce serene images to my mind either (especially since I found it  completely impossible to do.)  I was more comfortable as a "Sphinx" however.  

At the end of the class we spent some time with relaxation exercises.  I survived the hour without embarrassing myself.  (A big relief that I didn't have any of #3 on my list of concerns).  I felt good about the whole experience but I want to find a class with beginners like me. 

Yoga is the complete opposite from my heavy metal-themed-frantic peddling on the stationary bike.  I don't yet understand how this slow stretching can produce fitness.  I guess I'll need a couple of more classes to figure that out.  

Love to all, 

Marlena of Mohegan