A Yogi I can Bear

There was once a time when my toes did not seem a lifetime away from my fingertips, a time when downward dog was not just something I yelled at Linus. Back in the day I was quite the yogi, attending class religiously once a week and practicing by myself once or twice more.

But then the trials and tribulations of my mid-forties hit, and yoga quietly slipped away. Physical aches and pains, and one scary couple of months where I thought I was dying, caused me to give up yoga, and once I felt better I never seemed to pick it back up.

This summer I developed a fairly hellacious case of sciatica in my right hip, caused by an uneven gait, caused by plantar fasciitis in my left foot, caused by a bad tennis game, caused by years of alcohol, pizza and dying brain cells.

The plantar fasciitis has seemed to resolve itself (although my mortification of having to suffer a summer of closed toe shoes meant for the aged shall never fade), but I am still left with a case of sciatica so bad it feels like my hip should scream like a dementor every time I rise.

Today I bit the bullet and revisited my old yoga class. As I expected, my teacher, Karina, took one look at me, guided me directly past the level 3's (my old namaste'in grounds), level 2's and even level 1's, and deposited me in the "Light Yoga and Meditation Class". The fact that I had to grunt as I unfolded my yoga mat in no way diminished my disdain for Karina.

Within minutes of the beginning of class my disdain for Karina turned to grateful love. Karina's voice as she led us through easy asanas that had me sweating profusely, was literally like a German-accented melody. Low and full, I forgave her everything, even the fact that my arms were shaking uncontrollably as I attempted to hold a low Cobra.

An hour of slow, mindful yoga, was followed by a half hour of meditation, wherein Karina completely convinced me my head was indeed in heaven while literal roots were coming out of my ass. I shook my head as I left the class, wondering how I ever let such joy slip away.

My walk home was just as enjoyable and I noticed a visible difference in the world around me. While I had noticed this as I walked to the yoga center:

I now noticed this:

and this:

and this:

Namaste.