Todays Yoga Class - A challenge

A few months ago I signed myself up at our local yoga studio and got something like a yoga "flatrate" which allows me to bend myself to extasy as often as I want and also to explore different styles. Since I joined I found two great teachers there teaching Hatha and Astanga Yoga. I can only say that I truly enjoy the experience seeing how my muscle get  little by little more flexible my berathing improves.

So today I thought I try out something different: Rythm Yoga with Alvaro - a latin American Yoga Insturctor and "Multidisciplinary Artist" I just found this Artist description on the website of the yogastudio and now I have had a lesson with Alvaro I think it is a very suitable description of him.

At the beginning of th lessson I was really excited because we listened to some funky  Indian tunes for warming up. I actually thought we were going to do a little dance (After all it was called Ryhtim Yoga, right?) But instead of swinging our hips and feets we started off with some simple but challanging Kundalini Moves (sit down, strech out arms to the side and open close hands 10 minutes - soundes easy? try it yourself!)

After that we went into some slightly advanced Hatha poses . "I can do this" I thought .. and off we went. About 20 Minutes  later and nearly drowing  in my own sweat  into the lesson I thought " Ahhh, All right, Nevermind, - I just need to figure out how to make myself into a tiny knot with my legs sticking out over my shoulder, shift this body up in the air and than balance  it  on my two fingers tips .

Another 15 Minutes later I came to the conclusion that it might be better for my energy flow (and muscles)  if I just sit down, relax and watch Alvro do it all. The way he moved into his poses and held them was breathtaking. It was like watching private artist entertainment and a couple of times I had to think about  the snake women we saw in the Shanghai Circus the other week.

But if you think I gave up - no way: I bravely managed to encourage myself by reminding that I can still be proud about reaching my toes and tried to fold myself into something that may not have looked like a  neat parcel but a not so well packed box with arms sticking out of it instead.

At the end of the 80 minute class we did a 10 minute realxing which we do after every yoga parctise. Some teachers let us lay there in silence, some play some gentle music but Alvaro (after all there is latin american blood running through him!) played some sort of Xylophon - himself. To my surprise  in  such an unrhytmic (unlatin!) way that it nearly made me stand up and say "please let me have a go" (You see, I used to play the xylophone when I was little..) However, soon  the rushhour traffic on Henghsan road below us kicked in  and so did the music from the bar below us. My ears were occupied. Not very yogic, I know. Because if the relaxing is about anything than really about NOT listening to the outside but to your indside of your body (aching muscles enjoying beeing unfolded again)

So will I go back? Sure I will! Not only because Alvaro is great to watch and I want to tackle the challange of folding myself into a tiny parcle one day. But for the actual reason why I do yoga: Because I love it and because it is a path which goes well beyond the physical bending and playing xylophones.

Namaste.