From the diary of a novice 'Yogi/Yogini"

So, I'm not sure what a person who learns/practices Yoga a couple of times a week is called and so I'm taking the liberty of calling myself a novice "Yogi" (for want of a better term).. Please pardon my ignorance and let the records show that I don't intend to offend anyone with this post..

So now that the 'disclaimers' are done with, I should get to the point.. In the past couple of years I have tried to focus on my fitness.. So I've joined the gym and tried to be regular with my workouts.. It's been a challenge, but with a lot of support from my hubby and also my mom (when she was here) I have for most part been regular to the gym.. I'm enthusiastic about any physical activity be it working out at the gym or playing any sport like badminton/table tennis.. And when I was transferred back to Bangalore, I found Cult Fit.. Cult Fit has been like the "Find of the year 2023" for me.. For the unversed, Cult Fit is a chain of fitness centres that let you join group sessions for any class of your choice.. So they offer Yoga, Dance Fitness, HRX, S&C and Burn and Boxing.. 

When I enrolled at Cult, it finally gave me an opportunity to put to use my Yoga mat that I had bought during the Covid pandemic when I promised myself that I would watch videos online and try to practice Yoga at home.. Instead, I turned out to be the lady in the meme who buys a Yoga mat and places it along with all her other gym equipment.. After a week, the Yoga mat asks the other gym equipment "So guys, when is she going to use us" and in answer to the Yoga mat's question the other gym equipment just laugh heartily.. So when I joined Cult and saw Yoga classes as an option I thought I should try it.. and so I booked a class and went for it..

In my first class I saw stars (literally).. Because, before practicing the Asanas we are made to do 6 rounds of Suryanamaskar.. After the 3rd round of Suryanamaskar I wanted to just lie down on the mat and not get up at all.. Somehow I completed the class and then thought to myself that I'm never coming back.. But then I remembered my mom.. I used to see her practice Yoga when I was a kid.. and I thought that I should try it again, if nothing else it'll make me feel close to my mom for a while.. 

So I went back again.. After close to a year of going for Yoga classes, I can say that I'm doing a fairly good job.. I read something on my Instagram feed that said "You don't choose Yoga, Yoga chooses you".. I truly believe this, because Yoga chose me at a time when I was still trying to come to terms with the sudden death of my mom.. Everyone processes grief differently.. For me I was just searching for something to numb the excruciating pain that her loss left me with.. You can spend hours at the gym lifting weights, hoping that the pain and exhaustion will finally take away the pain of loss, but it doesn't.. What I was looking for is strength/courage to face the loss of my mom.. I was just looking for peace of mind.. Yoga gave me that.. Every week Yoga gave me 50 minutes of peace and 50 minutes of numbing my pain because I'm so focused on holding the "Lizard pose" or the "Vrikshasana" and the 100 other "difficult" poses, that I cant think of anything else except for trying to maintain my balance and not tripping and falling off on someone closeby.. 

You know, any trainer worth his salt doesn't like it when a client or in this case a "Cult Athlete" is able to work out with ease.. Aiswarya Ma'am (my Yoga Trainer) is no exception to that rule.. Like for the past 3 days owing to the long weekend I was able to go for Yoga class everyday.. and I got cocky yesterday thinking that I can easily do all the Asanas.. But alas! my overconfidence was shortlived because today, Ma'am wanted us to "jump to Chaturanga".. The fact that I'm doing "Chaturanga" entitles me to a "Best Yoga Student" award.. There is no way I was going to "jump to Chaturanga".. I just lazily moved back to high plank and then Chaturanga and just was trying to look at the clock wondering how may more minutes of this do I have to endure.. 

Every Yoga class, after the warm up and the Vinyasa I wonder why did I book this class.. When is it getting over.. I also avoid eye contact with Aiswarya Ma'am during class so that I can pretend that I didn't hear it when she says "lift your left knee higher".. "Regulars, I'm talking to you.. Make your back leg straight".. 

But I still go back every weekend, just for 50 minutes of peace.. I hope Yoga brings peace to all those who need it.. :-)